Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti has stated that elections in the four municipalities in the north of Kosovo cannot take place without de-escalation of the situation in that area. However, he added that Kosovo is preparing for snap elections in these four municipalities.
“I don’t think anyone expects elections in the north without a full de-escalation, but of course, we continue to work further. We are preparing for early elections,” said Kurti.
Early elections in the four municipalities in the north of Kosovo – Leposavic, Zubin Potok, Zvecan, and North Mitrovica – have been demanded by the international community to ease tensions in the north, which worsened two months ago.
In these municipalities predominantly inhabited by Serbs, the newly elected officials who came out of the elections boycotted by the Serbian List – the largest party of Serbs in Kosovo – are Albanians. Local Serbs have been protesting since May 29 against their entry into municipal buildings.
Kurti also stated that he expects the punitive measures taken by the European Union against Kosovo to be lifted as soon as possible.
The EU’s punitive measures against Kosovo, attributing it as responsible for escalating the situation in the northern region, include: temporary suspension of the bodies created under the Stabilization and Association Agreement, non-participation of Kosovo in high-level meetings, and
suspension of bilateral visits, except for those focused on addressing the crisis in the north within the EU-facilitated dialogue.
Other measures encompass the suspension of funding programming for Kosovo under IPA 2024 (Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance). Proposals submitted by Kosovo under the Western Balkans Investment Framework have not been submitted for review by the board on June 29 and 30.
Previously, the EU reiterated its call for Kosovo to proceed with the elections and urged Serbs living in the four northern municipalities to participate in the electoral process.
framework to enable the smooth organization of the elections.
Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and chief negotiator in the dialogue with Serbia, Besnik Bislimi commented that there cannot be elections in the north without the EU lifting the punitive measures imposed by Kosovo, as both parties reached an agreement in Bratislava, where holding snap elections in the four northern municipalities, as well as the withdrawal of 25% of police forces from municipal buildings is stipulated.
