In the early hours of Saturday, Serbian List held a meeting where the current situation in the north was discussed. After that, they confirmed that they are leaving all Kosovo institutions. Such an action caused many reactions, both among the political actors in the country and among the international ones. Prime Minister Kurti, after this decision, asked the Serbs not to abandon the country’s institutions, while President Vjosa Osmani declared that such an action , is against democracy and the rule of law. The opposition, meanwhile, asked the Government of Kosovo to reflect on these developments.
How did the internationals react?
One of the harshest reactions regarding this situation was made by the head of diplomacy of the European Union, Joseph Borell, who said that these developments could jeopardize years of work within the dialogue. Borell, among other things, stated that the withdrawal from the institutions of Kosovo is not a solution to the current disputes and escalates the tensions more.

“The withdrawal of the Kosovo Serbs from the institutions of Kosovo is not a solution to the current disputes. It has the potential to further escalate tensions on the ground. We call on Serbia and Kosovo Serb representatives to respect their Dialogue obligations and return to Kosovo’s institutions to fulfill their duties, including the police, the judiciary and local administrations,” the EU statement said.

Meanwhile, the chief diplomat repeated the request for the immediate extension of the decision on license plates, and also requested that steps be taken to establish the Association of Municipalities with a Serbian Majority, citing the ratification of the agreement in the Assembly and the decision of the Constitutional Court. At the same time, the EU again asks the Kosovo authorities to respect their obligations without delay. This means the immediate extension of the vehicle re-registration process and the suspension of any punitive action against KM license plate holders. The license plate issue can be resolved by the Parties within the Dialogue. The EU also calls on Kosovo to immediately start the steps to establish the Association/Community of Municipalities with a Serbian Majority. The Assembly of Kosovo has ratified the Brussels Agreement and the Constitutional Court of Kosovo has decided that the Association/Community should be established. Therefore, its establishment is a legal obligation for Kosovo. The continuous failure to implement this obligation violates the principle of the rule of law and damages the reputation and credibility of Kosovo”, reads the statement.

In connection with these developments, the Deputy Secretary General of NATO, Mircea Geoana, also reacted, confirming that KFOR is on standby in case of a tense situation. “I spoke with the Special Representative, Mirsolav Lajçak, about the tense situation in the north of Kosovo. Belgrade and Pristina must restrain themselves and prevent escalation. NATO-KFOR remains vigilant and is ready to intervene if the situation is endangered”, he said.

The emissary for the dialogue, Miroslav Lajçak, distributed this post of Deputy Secretary Geoana, expressing his gratitude, but, however, did not give any concrete statement about the developments. “I agree fully with Mircea Geoana. Grateful for the excellent cooperation between NATO and the EU, both with the high-level leadership and with KFOR on the ground”, he said. Italy was the first to react from the international partners, regarding the tension of the situation in the north of the country, where she expressed her concern about these developments.

“We are concerned about the growing tensions between Serbia and Kosovo. I have asked our ambassadors in Belgrade and Pristina to call for moderation of the situation and for dialogue until there is a proper compromise. Italy is committed to stability and security in the Western Balkans”, wrote the Italian deputy prime minister. Meanwhile, until the publication of this text, there was no reaction from the United States of America.

/Klara Ruci/