The American ambassador in Pristina, Jeffrey Hovenier, said on Friday that Kosovo can progress only with the help of the United States, taking into account its concerns.

In an interview for the Voice of America, published on Friday afternoon, Hovenier said that there is disagreement between the USA and Kosovo due to the political decisions of the Government of Prime Minister Albin Kurti and the disregard of the advice of the American Government regarding the Serbian community in Kosovo.

“Kosovo can only progress with us, and with us it means that it must be sensitive to our concerns. If Kosovo fulfills its obligations, it will advance. If he hesitates to fulfill his obligations, he will be stuck,” said Hovenier.

He said that the differences between the USA and Kosovo have nothing to do with the legal side of the actions of the Government of Kosovo, but with their spirit and their concrete consequences for the Serbian community in the country.

The Government of Kosovo took a decision on June 5 to finalize the expropriation of over 100 plots in municipalities with a Serbian majority in the north of the country, prompting criticism from QUINT countries, the European Union and the OSCE.

Hovenier said Kurti’s government did not take into account the US advice on the matter and reiterated that he does not think all the legal criteria for expropriation of those lands have been met.

“We have expressed our concerns about the way the government has engaged with the communities affected by this decision and we have expressed our disappointment that our advice has not been taken into account,” said Hovenier.