Critics of Miroslav Lajčák’s approach to Kosovo are increasing in the European Parliament.
The European Union’s Special Representative for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue is accused of favoring Serbia in the recent crisis while holding only Pristina responsible.
The fact that he comes from a country like Slovakia, which does not recognize Kosovo’s independence, is also a concern.
Dutch MEP Thijs Reuten from the Labor Party declared during an interview with Euronews Albania that the EU is not responding properly to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić’s autocratic stance towards Kosovo for the past 10 years.
According to him, Vučić is an autocratic politician, and he has proven this not only with his approach to Kosovo but also with the policies he pursues within his own country, which, as the MEP stated, is democracy only on paper.
“We have been very critical of the overall approach of the EU, including Lajčák. What the EU is failing to do is to look at what happened in northern Kosovo at the end of May, in a broader context. We have been dealing with an autocratic president in Belgrade for over a decade, who has developed a tactic of escalating and then de-escalating, playing with the international community. The EU is not responding properly,” the MEP said.
Reuten called on the European Union to take a stricter stance, not only towards Vučić, but also other key leaders in the region who are trying to undermine stability and democracy.
“Diplomats like [EU Special Representative for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav’] Lajčák or [EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep] Borrell can only change course only when the 27 EU member states and their governments are well informed and make sure that the policy will change, that we will adopt a tougher policy towards people like Vučić and [President of Republika Srpska, Milorad] Dodik, who are deliberately trying to undermine the stability of the region. If the EU continues as it is, staying silent most of the time when it comes to people destabilizing the region, then I am not very hopeful,” the MEP said.
Asked on his stance regarding the punitive measures imposed on Kosovo by the European Union, MEP Reuten expressed disappointment.
“Many colleagues in the European Parliament think it is outrageous to talk about measures or even sanctions against Kosovo while at the same time not doing anything against the continued provocations from Belgrade. Mayors taking to their offices in the north of Kosovo could have been executed differently, but that does not justify the attitude of the EU towards Kurti. The Republic of Kosovo is trying to maintain rule of law by identifying the people who used violence against KFOR troops. The EU should be concerned about it because it is absolutely unacceptable that tens of military service people have been injured. Balance in the response of the international community is totally gone!”
Tensions in northern Kosovo, predominantly inhabited by Serbs, started on 26 May when newly elected Albanian mayors of Zvečan, Zubin Potok, and Leposavić entered municipal buildings escorted by the Kosovo Police.
Serbs opposed this and have since been protesting, demanding the removal of the new mayors and special police units.
The international community has presented three main requests to Kurti: calming the situation in the north, holding snap elections in the four northern municipalities, and returning to the dialogue for the normalization of Kosovo-Serbia relations.
Meanwhile, Belgrade has requested that it ensures that Serbs can participate unconditionally in any potential local elections.
Kurti has presented a five-point plan that also includes holding new elections, but he has stated that the rule of law is needed for their implementation.
