Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić did not comment on the European Union’s agreement with Kosovo regarding the steps to de-escalate the situation in northern Kosovo reached on 10 July, but spoke about the demands to de-escalate the situation in the north, which the international community has placed on Belgrade and Pristina.
“Now you will see another trick that some people from the West are trying to implement. And this means [they will say] – came back and talk normally,” said Vučić, adding that the way the West is trying to reach de-escalation in the north is incomprehensible to him.
“Is it de-escalation when they withdraw 25 percent of something? God knows what this means, but they are looking for a sufficient reason to blame Serbia,” said Vučić, referring to the decision of the Government of Kosovo to reduce the police presence in the north of the country.
On 11 July, the European Union confirmed that Kosovo had agreed to reduce the police presence in and around municipal buildings in Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok in northern Kosovo, and that Kosovo will support the holding of new elections in the four northern municipalities, as part of the actions to de-escalate the situation.
The Government of Kosovo said that all steps “will be finalized within a two-week period”.
This agreement was reached during an informal meeting held in Bratislava between Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo Besnik Bislimi and the EU’s Special Envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue Miroslav Lajčák.
Likewise, Kosovo and the EU have also agreed to undertake some other steps.
“The Government of Kosovo through a public statement supports the holding of snap elections in the four northern municipalities of the countries after the summer season,” the Government said on 11 July, adding that the institutions in Pristina have expressed commitment to ensure the necessary legal basis for holding these elections.
Furthermore, the Kosovo Police, together with the EU Rule of Law mission (EULEX) and the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, will assess the security situation “particularly to consider the possibility of further reducing the police presence in and around municipal buildings”, the executive announced.
“The EU will invite the two chief negotiators to Brussels with the aim of finalizing the sequencing plan for the Agreement on Normalization, after which the implementation of all agreement provisions will commence,” said the Government of Kosovo.
Regarding the meeting between the negotiators of Kosovo and Serbia, it will reportedly take place next week.
The European Union had presented several requests for reducing tensions in the north, which began in late May after newly elected Albanian mayors entered municipal buildings under the escort of the Kosovo Police.
Since then, local Serbs have been protesting in the north, demanding the withdrawal of special police units from the north in addition to the mayors.
Earlier, state leaders in Kosovo expressed readiness to organize new elections in the municipalities in the north but requested their preparation to prevent boycotts.
The elections held on 23 April, which resulted in the election of Albanian mayors in the four northern municipalities, were boycotted by Serbian parties and population.
Kosovo has continuously requested the implementation of the Agreement on the Normalization of Relations, reached in Brussels on 27 February. The parties also reached an Annex for the implementation of this agreement in Ohrid on 18 March.
The 11-point agreement does not include mutual recognition, which Kosovo insists on, but requires Kosovo and Serbia to accept each other’s documents and symbols, including passports, diplomas, and license plates.
The document requires parties implement all agreements reached so far in the dialogue for the normalization of relations, including the one on the formation of the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities in Kosovo, which the government in Pristina has rejected so far, arguing that it could jeopardize the functionality of the state.
