The European Union said on Thursday that the decision of the Municipality of North Mitrovica, to request the release of a municipal building from persons working for the administration of Serbia, is contrary to efforts to reduce tensions in the relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

On August 22, local authorities in North Mitrovica – one of four Serb-majority municipalities in northern Kosovo – submitted a report to the vice president of the Serbian List, Igor Simic, stating that Serbian institutions must “vacate” their facility within three days, writes REL.

EU spokesperson, Peter Stano, told the media on August 24 that “we are concerned about the impact on the security situation of the recent decisions of the North Mitrovica Municipality administration on the use of public spaces, buildings and municipal”.

He reiterated the demands that there be close cooperation and coordination for all decisions that may have an impact on the fragile security situation in the north of Kosovo, and that this issue be addressed within the dialogue facilitated by the EU.

“The case with this decision was not like that. The issue of Serbian-led structures should be addressed in the dialogue facilitated by the EU and should be resolved in the context of the establishment of the Association/Community of Municipalities with a Serbian majority,” he said.

Stano repeated the EU’s previous positions that the municipal elections in the north of Kosovo, even though they were held according to the legal framework of Kosovo, due to very low participation, did not provide a long-term solution.

“It is important to organize inclusive local elections as soon as possible in which Kosovo Serbs will participate without preconditions”, he underlined.

In the disputed building are located four institutions that are financed by the Government of Serbia: the Office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia, the Center for Social Work from Vushtrri and the Administrative District of Mitrovica of Kosovo.