The implementation of the reciprocity principle has strained the relations between Kosovo and Serbia even further. Prime Minister Albin Kurti met the ambassadors of the US, UK, Germany, France, and Italy, as well as the EU’s envoy for the dialogue Miroslav Lajcak.
According to a statement released to the press by the Office of the Prime Minister, Kurti noted that Serbian citizens have blockaded the streets in Jarinje and Bernjak. According to him, special police units have been deployed to “defend border police and the checkpoints”, adding that no incident has been recorded so far.
“Both Kosovo and Serbia are either right or wrong on the temporary reciprocity of the license plates. So, either we both keep them, or we both remove them”, he said.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic gathered the Security Council, where he demanded a prompt response by the European Union on the legitimacy of the Brussels Agreement, and also on a date when will the Association of Serb Communes be formed.
He also added that this morning he had been in contact with Western powers, who had offered a compromise which he turned down as it “denigrated” Serbia.
The new tensions between Kosovo and Serbia have alarmed the European Union. The EU’s envoy for the dialogue Miroslav Lajcak met the head of the union’s delegation to Prishtina, to brief him on the current state in Kosovo’s north.
I briefed EU HoMs on the situation in the north of Kosovo. I’m concerned & call for immediate deescalation. It’s important to reduce tensions, restore a peaceful atmosphere & allow for freedom of movement. We stand ready to facilitate talks on all open issues in the Dialogue. pic.twitter.com/2HvqC0ldmS
— Miroslav Lajčák (@MiroslavLajcak) September 21, 2021
On Twitter, Lajcak wrote that it’s important to lower the tensions and restore a peaceful atmosphere.
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