The Government of Kosova has started the procedures that will make possible the removal of the four mayors of Zveçan, Zubin-Potok, Leposaviç and North Mitrovica and the announcement of new elections.

Kosova media report that the Ministry of Local Government Administration of Kosova, as responsible for local government issues, has defined the working group that will deal with the drafting of the Administrative Instruction for the removal of the four elected mayors.

According to the decision signed by the respective minister Elbert Krasniqi, the draft administrative disposition must be finalized by September 1, 2023.

The working group is supported by the EU office, representatives from embassies and the OSCE.

This decision of the government of Kosova comes after mediation by the US-EU for the normalization of tensions between Prishtina and Belgrade and finding a way to normalize the situation. Prime Minister Albin Kurti has accepted the holding of early elections in the four municipalities in the north.

Tensions in the north of Kosova reached their peak on May 29, when during the violent protests against the entering in office of new elected Albanian mayors of four farthest north municipalities, 30 members of the peacekeeping mission, KFOR, were injured.

As a result of failure form Prishtina to take concrete steps to resolve the crisis, the European Union has imposed measures against Kosova.

Meanwhile, on July 11, Brussels announced that Kosova had agreed to reduce the presence of police forces near municipal buildings in Zveçan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok, and holding of early local elections in the four municipalities, as part of the actions to improve the situation.

/a.p./