Arberi

Lajçaku and Bislimi agree on the first steps for the expansion of the situation in the north

The EU emissary for the dialogue, Miroslav Lajçak, has announced that in the meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, in addition to agreeing on the first steps leading to de-escalation of the situation in the north, they also discussed the implementation of all dialogue agreements . Even Bislimi has confirmed the rapprochement of positions with the EU, but has not shown what the first steps of the extension contain

The European Union emissary for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajçak, and the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, have reached agreement on the first steps towards the escalation of the situation in the north of the country. Through a post on Twitter, Lajçak said that they met with Bislim on Monday in Bratislava and, in addition to this agreement, they also discussed the implementation of all dialogue agreements.

"Intensive bilateral discussions were held today in Bratislava with the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislim, regarding the de-escalation of the situation in the north of Kosovo, in accordance with the declaration of the 27 EU member states published on June 3, and the way forward in the implementation of all dialogue agreements. We agreed on the first steps towards this goal", he wrote.

Even Bislimi has made a statement about this meeting, which he said discussed the next steps regarding the full implementation of the Basic Agreement and its Annex.

"I met with the EU envoy for dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, to discuss the next steps for the full and fair implementation of the Framework Agreement and its Annex. We agreed on the necessary steps to ensure de-escalation effective and defined by law, focusing on normalization and implementing the rule of law," he wrote.

Tensions in the north of Kosovo have increased since the end of May, when the new Albanian mayors of Zubin Potok, Zveçan and Leposaviq entered the municipal buildings. The local Serbs, supported by the official Belgrade, opposed the implementation of the results of the elections organized in these municipalities. Through the protests, which in the first days were violent and had consequences for members of the police, KFOR and the media, they produced a security crisis in this part of Kosovo, to which there were numerous reactions from international institutions.

The European Union has submitted three requests to Kosovo and Serbia to escalate the situation, which have not yet been fulfilled. Kosovo has been asked to immediately suspend police operations in the vicinity of municipal buildings in the north and for the four municipal mayors to temporarily exercise their duties in alternative facilities; Serbia has been asked to ensure that the protesters withdraw from the municipal buildings in parallel with the withdrawal of the Kosovo Police; and both states have been asked to announce early local elections, as soon as possible, in the four municipalities in the north of Kosovo, with the unconditional participation of Kosovo Serbs in them.

Due to the non-fulfillment of the requirements, since the end of June, the EU is implementing some punitive measures against Kosovo, but not against Serbia. Prime Minister Kurti called these measures "unfair" and expressed his willingness to organize new elections in the north, but, as he said, they must be prepared so that there is no boycott again.
New mayors in the northern municipalities were elected on April 23, in votes that were boycotted by the Serbian population and parties.