Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated he cannot confirm that “there is a way out” of the crisis in northern Kosovo.
He made these comments after a bilateral meeting with the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue mediators.
“We have discussed the issue, the substance, which was inevitable, but what we will see tomorrow on the ground, I don’t know… when we have trucks waiting,” he said, referring to the blockade of Serbian goods trucks at the border with Kosovo.
EU High Representative Josep Borrell, and EU Special Representative for the Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue Miroslav Lajčák held a series of meetings Thursday regarding crisis management. They first met with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, and later with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.
So far, no joint meeting has been held between Kurti and Vučić.
During a previous press conference, Vučić said that he would not meet with Kurti because he does not “see a reason for it”.
Regarding the resolution of the situation in Kosovo, Vučić said that he is afraid that “everything has gone too far”.
“We will continue to talk on a daily basis because peace and stability are crucial, but I warned that Serbs are in a very difficult position and they do not want to endure Kurti’s terror in the way they have been forced to until this moment,” Vučić added.
Earlier, Borrell wrote on Twitter that “constructive ideas and readiness for compromise are needed to address the ongoing crisis in northern Kosovo”.
“Both parties are expected to reduce tensions and fulfill their obligations without preconditions,” Borrell wrote on Twitter after the meeting with the Kosovo Prime Minister and at the beginning of the meeting with the Serbian leader.
The situation in the north of #Kosovo continues to be very tense.
Today, we aim to find solutions for immediate de-escalation and way forward.
The meeting with Prime Minister @albinkurti has started. pic.twitter.com/Pdu6F0LBgT
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) June 22, 2023
On the other hand, Kurti stated that he would insist on “the immediate and unconditional release of the three [Kosovo] police officers being held by Serbia, the de-escalation of the situation, and the normalization of relations” during the Brussel meeting.
Three border police officers from Kosovo were arrested by Serbian forces on June 14. Serbian authorities claim that they were arrested deep within Serbian territory, while Kosovo authorities emphasize that the three Kosovar police officers were abducted within the territory of Kosovo.
Since the end of May, tensions in northern Kosovo have increased as new Albanian mayors of municipalities in the north entered municipal buildings with the assistance of the Kosovo Police, amid opposition from local Serbs.
Since then, local Serbs have been protesting in front of municipal buildings in Zvečan, Zubin Potok, and Leposavić.
On June 14, tensions between Kosovo and Serbia escalated further 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 Kosovo territory near the border line with Serbia in Leposavić.
The EU and the United States have presented three requests to Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti regarding the tensions: calming the situation in northern Kosovo, holding new elections in four municipalities in the north, and a return to the dialogue for the normalization of relations. The U.S. has also encouraged Kurti and the new Albanian mayors of municipalities in the north to carry out their duties from alternative locations.
Kurti, on the other hand, has presented a five-point plan. His plan also includes holding elections. However, he said that the rule of law is needed to hold free elections in the north.
