The European Union has stated that the status of Serbian facilities in northern Kosovo, which provide social services, should be resolved through the dialogue facilitated by the bloc, calling on Pristina not to shut down these structures.

A spokesperson for the European Commission made this statement when asked about the closure of four offices of the Center for Social Work in North Mitrovica, which operated under the Serbian system, by the Kosovo Police on February 21.

Kosovar authorities said that “illegal activities related to the electoral process” had taken place in the closed facilities.

The EU stated that it is aware of the operation carried out by the Kosovo Police and that its rule of law mission in Kosovo, EULEX, is monitoring the situation while Brussels awaits “further details to establish the facts.”

“As we have stated in the past, the status of these structures and services supported by Serbia is expected to be resolved through the EU-facilitated dialogue. Neither healthcare and education institutions supported by Serbia nor other Serbian-backed structures that provide basic social services should be closed,” the EU Commission spokesperson said.

The EU reiterated the position it had taken when other Serbian institutions were closed in northern Kosovo, which is predominantly inhabited by Serbs, emphasizing that shutting them down without a previously agreed alternative negatively impacts the daily lives of citizens and directly hinders efforts to normalize relations.