Serbia and Kosovo refuse to reduce tension with cross accusations

Serbia and Kosovo are not willing to reduce tensions, as shown by the cross-accusations of the presidents of both Balkan countries at the summit held this Thursday in Moldova. The escalation of violence in the north of Kosovo, where the Serbian minority is concentrated, worries the EU, which has intensified its diplomatic efforts to prevent a revival of the old conflict.

Upon arrival at the summit, the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmanihe accused his Serbian colleague Aleksandar Vučić of supporting “criminal groups” behind the protests against the inauguration of a mayor of Albanian origin. For Pristina, the crisis is caused by the fact that Belgrade continues to deny its existence and territorial sovereignty. “Kosovo is an independent and sovereign state and the sooner you accept it, the better it will be for peace and stability in the region,” he said.

President Vučić, for his part, said that he would try to persuade the Serbs to hold peaceful demonstrations, but he pointed out that “solving the problem requires the withdrawal of the so-called mayor”. Vučić went further and asked councilors who resign from their position as a first step for dialogue. The request that the Prime Minister of Kosovo refused, Albin Kurti.

After a meeting on Thursday with Kurti, the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, met with Vučić and Osmani, who also met separately with President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Olaf Scholz, who proposed repeat without delay municipal elections with the participation of all parties.

In a divided city Mitrovica, Several hundred Kosovo Albanians gathered in support of the government on the bridge leading to the northern sector, where Serbs live, waving the flags of the former KLA guerrillas and Greater Albania. Meanwhile, Serbs gathered in front of the city halls for the fourth day in a row Zvečan, Leposavić and Zubin Potokguarded by NATO soldiers, to request the withdrawal of the Albanian mayors.