Several prominent politicians from Europe and the United States have united to send a formal letter to high-ranking officials in the European Union and Washington, urging for a shift in the approach towards Kosovo and Serbia.
British Member of Parliament Alicia Kearns has made public the letter addressed to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell, and British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly. This joint letter was signed by ten heads of foreign affairs committees and 56 deputies.
The letter directly addresses the recent tensions in northern Kosovo and emphasizes the need for “balanced and proportional interaction with Kosovo and Serbia”.
10 Chairs of Foreign Affairs Committees and 56 Parliamentarians have called on the US, EU & UK to change our approach to #Kosovo and #Serbia.
We need deterrence diplomacy, where we ensure there is balance in our dealings, and we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. 1/ pic.twitter.com/zEYsvTNFP3
— Alicia Kearns MP (@aliciakearns) August 6, 2023
The escalating tensions in northern Kosovo began when newly elected mayors of Zvecan, Zubin Potok, and Leposavic, entered municipal buildings accompanied by the Kosovo Police. This action was met with opposition from local Serbs, who organized protests. Unfortunately, the situation escalated into violence on May 29 in Zvecan, resulting in injuries to numerous protesters and NATO’s peacekeeping mission personnel in Kosovo, KFOR.
The letter highlights the repercussions Kosovo has faced due to the mayors’ attempts to assume office in northern Kosovo. While emphasizing the importance of future coordination with KFOR to prevent further escalations, the letter also criticizes the lack of pressure on Serbia after the arbitrary detention of three Kosovo police officers and the failure to hold those who attacked KFOR personnel accountable, underscoring the need for fairness in addressing tensions.
During this period of rising tensions, Serbian forces arrested three Kosovo police officers on June 14. Kosovo asserted that they were “abducted” from its territory, but Serbia maintained that they were arrested within its own borders. Fortunately, the officers were released on June 26.
The letter contends that the current approach is ineffective and urges the international community to learn from past experiences, ensuring that policies for the Balkans are not biased towards Belgrade. Additionally, it calls for the consideration of adopting a preventative diplomacy policy to avert further security and political escalations in northern Kosovo, emphasizing the need for balanced and proportional statements, punishments, or sanctions against any wrongdoers, while safeguarding those who respect the rule of law and democracy.
In response to Kosovo’s failure to meet key international demands in de-escalating the north, the EU imposed punitive measures on the country.
Nonetheless, an agreement has been reached between Kosovo and the EU to de-escalate the situation, including conducting new elections in northern Kosovo. Pristina has emphasized the need for thorough preparations to avoid a repeat of the boycott seen in the April 23 elections.
The letter underscores Kosovo’s status as an independent state and publicly condemns any attempts by Serbia to interfere with democratic elections in Kosovo.
As part of the agreed plan between Kosovo and the EU, the presence of police near majority Serbian-inhabited communities in northern Kosovo will be further reduced.
