The high representative of the European Union for foreign policy and security, Josep Borrell, confirmed the readiness of the member countries of the European bloc to undertake further new measures, if there is no progress in the direction of expanding the situation in the north of Kosovo, especially as pertains to the organization of new elections in the four municipalities in this area.<\/p>\n
“Only they [member states] can do this. The measures will hit the political and economic aspects of our relations. And how do we do it? We are working in a very structured way and we will start looking at what measures can be taken in case we do not finally reach an agreement on the announcement of elections”, said Borrell after the meeting of EU foreign ministers.<\/p>\n
Kosovo and Serbia were also on the agenda of this meeting, after the increase of tensions in recent months in the north of Kosovo, inhabited by a majority of Serbs.<\/p>\n
The EU is already implementing a series of measures against the Government of Kosovo and the Prime Minister of the country, Albin Kurti, due to the latter’s reluctance to comply with European requirements, including: removal of special police units from municipal facilities, removal of mayors and that they carry out the work from alternative locations and the announcement of new elections.<\/p>\n
“And for everything to be in order, we must have elections. We agree that elections must be held. We agreed that we cannot forever have mayors in offices protected by NATO troops who won 2 or 3 percent of the vote [in the April 23 local elections]. This is not a sustainable solution. So, if this is not sustainable, it should be replaced with another solution. And the other solution can only come with the holding of new elections. And this should be done by both parties: elections with the participation of Serbs, because otherwise we will have the same situation as today”, underlined Borrell, writes REL.<\/p>\n
Borrell hinted that ambassadors from member states will soon begin discussing new measures in the event that no agreement is reached on calling new elections. The European official ordered that these measures are temporary and reversible.<\/p>\n
Borrell reported to the EU Foreign Ministers about the emergency crisis meeting he organized on June 22 in Brussels with the leaders of the dialogue from Kosovo and Serbia.<\/p>\n
He admitted that the European side proposed a “balanced way out of the crisis”, but that the meeting did not bring results.<\/p>\n
On behalf of the EU member states, Borrell welcomed the release of three Kosovo policemen who were being held in custody in Serbia.<\/p>\n
The European Union has expected that there will be a reduction in tensions after the last meetings that Borrell had with the two leaders in Brussels, a week ago.<\/p>\n
The leaders have not met with each other, but only with Borrell, separately.<\/p>\n
Tensions in the north of Kosovo have increased since May 26, when the new Albanian mayors of the municipalities in the north – inhabited by a majority of Serbs – entered the municipal buildings of Zve\u00e7an, Leposaviq and Zubin Potok.<\/p>\n
The Serbian population, which has boycotted the elections, has opposed the action of the mayors and has continuously held protests in front of the buildings.<\/p>\n
Tensions increased even more when the Serbian authorities arrested three members of the Kosovo Police.<\/p>\n
Kosovo has said that it is a case of kidnapping, Serbia has said that the policemen were arrested on Serbian territory.<\/p>\n
In recent days, the Kosovo authorities have been arresting several members of the Serbian community, who allegedly participated in the violence against members of the NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR, the Kosovo Police and journalists reporting from the north.<\/p>\n
Serbia and members of the Serbian community in Kosovo consider these arrests to be arbitrary.<\/p>\n
The international community has asked Kosovo and Serbia to urgently reduce tensions and for Pristina to organize new elections.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The high representative of the European Union for foreign policy and security, Josep Borrell, confirmed the readiness of the member countries of the European bloc to undertake further new measures, if there is no progress in the direction of expanding the situation in the north of Kosovo, especially as pertains to the organization of new […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":56373,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[163,1803],"tags":[865,3117,150,243,151,2787,2435,3118,2467],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n