Kosovo Prime Albin Kurti said he will decide whether to participate in the crisis meeting called by the European Union after he understands the situation of the three Kosovo police officers who were arrested by Serbia.
“I want to first wait for the visit of Ambassador [Head of Kosovo Liaison Office in Belgrade] Jetish Jashari to Kraljevo, and only then, when I have the information from this visit about our three police officers who are being held captive in Serbia as revenge for combating organized crime and corruption in Kosovo, I will make the decision and announce it [regarding participation in the Brussels meeting]. The visit [of Jashari] is planned, as far as I know until this moment, for tomorrow, and I will be in contact with our ambassador to be informed about the situation of these three police officers who are being held captive in Serbia,” he said.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora of Kosovo Kreshnik Ahmeti stated to Radio Free Europe last week that the three police officers were being held in inhumane conditions, without food and without adequate medical treatment.
Due to the tense situation in northern Kosovo, predominantly inhabited by Serbs, the European Union has invited the Prime Minister of Kosovo and the President of Serbia to a crisis meeting. The meeting is scheduled to take place this week.
Kurti stated that it is still unclear whether this meeting was called for June 22 or 23.
Tensions in the north have been escalating since late May, but they worsened on June 14 after the arrest of three Kosovo police officials. Serbia claimed that they were arrested “deep” within its territory, but Kosovo stated that they were patrolling in the territory of Kosovo near the border with Serbia in Leposavić.
A court in Kraljevo has issued a 30-day pretrial detention order for the three police officers.
These claims have been rejected by the Serbian side, which accused Pristina of mistreating the arrested Serbs.
On Sunday, June 18, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced that he will not participate in the meeting with Kurti in Brussel.
“I consider it senseless to talk to someone who is not willing to talk,” Vučić told reporters in Belgrade.
The United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany have called for the immediate release of the three Kosovo police officials.
Kurti also addressed the announcement that the NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR, has imposed a blockade in Leposavić and has not allowed the special units of the Kosovo Police to enter the municipality.
Earlier in the day, this announcement was dismissed by the Kosovo police.
However, Kurti stated that the police should be present in that area “because there are various extremists and criminal groups”.
