The European Union clarified that reactions over the weekend to certain developments in Kosovo aimed to avoid tensions following some actions by the authorities of Kosovo that the EU termed “unilateral and concerning”.
This was stated on Monday in a press conference by Peter Stano, the EU spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy.
“During the past week, we have seen at least two examples of actions that have raised concerns for the European Union. One was the regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo, and the other was police operations against some entities led by Serbia. These steps are concerning because they do not contribute to easing the situation,” Stano said.
With the decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo to use only the euro for payments, as of February 1, the use of the Serbian dinar has been discontinued. This decision by Kosovo was opposed by Serbia, while the international community requested its implementation to be postponed, arguing that there is concern that it might negatively impact Serbs in Kosovo.
Similarly, on February 2, in a police action, Kosovo authorities closed three municipalities in Peja, Istog, and Klina, which operated in parallel in the Serbian system.
Stano emphasized that “those actions, usually, are not coordinated, they are unilateral, and without the proper level of prior consultations to avoid the negative impact they may have on people on the ground. Therefore, the European Union reacted to both of these developments”.
According to the EU spokesperson, these statements were also reinforced by other international partners as well as by the European Commission.
“Of course, it is concerning when we see a series of unilateral steps that can lead to something we would not like to see – worsening of the situation on the ground. Because one thing is clear, those actions do not contribute to calming the situation and helping people feel that their lives are getting better. On the contrary. Therefore, it is important to return to dialogue,” he said.
Responding to questions about whether quick meetings are planned within the framework of dialogue, the EU spokesperson said work is being done in that direction but there is no set date.
“The EU Special Representative, Miroslav Lajčák, is working with partners from both sides in the region and in the EU, as well as with the broader international community, to enable both parties to start acting constructively, return to the negotiation table, and discuss important issues without unilateral steps,” Stano said.
“I cannot announce a date for the next meeting. The Special Representative is working at a daily rhythm, and we hope that at some point, we will be able to schedule a high-level meeting between the President of Serbia and the Prime Minister of Kosovo, where we would make efforts to help them resolve issues,” he said, reiterating that “there is currently no specific timeframe”.
“We urge the authorities of Kosovo to engage in the consultation process and avoid other unilateral steps because those steps have a truly counterproductive effect,” Stano concluded.
During the weekend, the European Union had issued a statement urging Kosovo to resolve the issue of the status of municipalities that Serbia continues to administer through dialogue.
