Calls for avoiding tensions between Kosovo, Serbia

Borrell hosted Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti in Brussels on Monday, and Serbia's President Aleksandar Vuciq.

From Tuesday according to the decision, the fine of those who have not converted car plates is expected to begin. The decision is rejected by Belgrade and Serbs in northern Kosovo, who have warned of resistance to its implementation.

The two hold full responsibility for the failure of negotiations today and any escalation and violence that could occur on the ground. We submitted a proposal President Aleksandar Vucic accepted, while Prime Minister Albin Kurti not”, Borrell said.

He said that in the absence of the agreement, he would call on both sides.

I first expect Kosovo to immediately suspend further operations to re-register cars in northern Kosovo... Serbia should cease issuing car plates with signs of Kosovo cities, including those marked KM”, Borrell said, stressing that it will inform European Union countries of the actions of the parties and lack of respect for international legal obligations.

“and I have to say that this applies specifically to Kosovo”, he said underlining that he has made it clear to the two leaders that if membership in the European Union is their ultimate goal, then they should be brought in line with that goal.

Serbian President Vucic said the Serbian side has agreed to Borrell's request.

Nights without sleep and many difficult days await us, but we will listen to and abide by the counsel and requirements of the High Representative. He urged them not to apply fines and we do not issue new KM plates, which we have accepted”, he said.

The Serbian president said after returning to Belgrade that he will meet with representatives of Kosovo Serbs, and that his request will be “the preservation of peace”.

While Prime Minister Kurti told the media in Brussels that the “proposal was unacceptable without associating with commitment to the final agreement for normalising relations between the two countries”.

“I am ready to come here and always hold meetings with the same structure and order, to reach a final agreement on full normalisation of relations with mutual recognition at the centre and other issues like that with license plates. But one cannot work without the other. We can't be irresponsible and not deal with current issues, but we can't go back to state leaders dealing only with license plates and not talking about normalising their relations”, Prime Minister Kurti said,

He said that in a proposal put forward earlier by Mr Borrell and the European envoy for Kosovo-Serbia talks, Miroslav Lajcak has been set a deadline for an agreement to be reached by March 2023. But, according to him, Borrell “gave up this” and the EU's “proposal for normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia”.

EU spokesman Peter Stano said in a written statement sent to the media that claims that the EU has abandoned its proposal for normalising Kosovo-Serbia relations, supported by Germany, France and the United States, are not true.

“The EU continues to stand fully behind this proposal and encourages the parties to agree with the text once they are ready to testify to the international community that they are able to move towards European solutions. It is now key that both sides avoid escalation, which requires immediate action by both sides Kosovo will not start to pronounce fines and Serbia will not issue new KM license plates. There can be no negotiations on normalising relations with a threat present for violence”, Stano said.

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani criticised EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell for bias following Monday's meeting between Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vucic, who failed to secure any agreement.

In a post on social networks, President Osmani wrote that the first rule of each mediating process is impartiality. What we saw today from Mr. Borrell was a openly distributed bias, accomodating the aggressor and presenting a completely distorted reality. Had Borrell observed the basic principles of neutrality, he would have mentioned Serbia, at least some of these broken Brussels agreements, instead of accusing Kosovo”, wrote President Osmani listing agreements that are not implemented by Serbia.

Secretary - General NATO Jens Stoltenberg said he spoke with Mr. Borrell after today's Kosovo summit SerbisëSerbia. We are disappointed that it was not possible to resolve the license dispute. Now is the time for responsibilities and pragmatic solutions. The escalation must be avoided. KFOR remains alert”, he wrote on social networks.

The commander of NATO-led peacekeeping forces, Major General Angelo Michele Ristuccia, has met with Kosovo Interior Minister Jhelal Svecla on Monday evening to discuss the situation following the failure of talks in Brussels.

In a KFOR report, commander Ristuccia “reportedly called on all sides to avoid any action that could lead to worsening the situation. He called on the parties to act responsibly and participate actively in security preservation. He stressed that it is important to avoid any new escalation, following tensions in August”.

Commander Riztuccia, said in the report, is in close contact with local and international security mechanisms, including the chief of the Serbian Army and that KFOR remains alert and continues to implement its mandate for a safe environment and freedom of movement for all Kosovo citizens, according to UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

The goal of the NATO-led KFOR mission is peace and security in Kosovo. KFOR plays a vital role in providing security that enables dialogue. KFOR commander calls on the parties to refrain from unilateral actions or rhetoric and prevent any further escalation of” tensions, KFOR reports.

The European Union and the United States have voiced hope for a practical solution to the issue of license plates to avoid tensions in the north, where there are no more members of police from the Serb community, nor employees of other institutions, following Belgrade-backed Serbian representatives' decision to abandon Kosovo institutions in the north.

The European Union has named the situation in northern Kosovo the most dangerous since 2013.

Alliance for the Future of Kosovo Chairman Ramush Haradinaj called on Prime Minister Kurti “to suspend implementation of the license decision until the agreement on mutual recognition is reached with Serbia”.

In a post on social networks Monday evening, he called on the speaker of parliament to urgently call on extraordinary session, to adopt the AAK's proposed resolution, to overcome the created situation.

I also ask the President to take an active role in calming the situation and overcoming the created stalemate. I invite all Serbian citizens to refrain from acts of violence and not to fall prey to the regime's political calculations in Belgrade”, Mr. Haradinaj wrote underlining that <x2 is the last moment for governments in Belgrade and Pristina to sit down and bargain for the peace agreement for recognition, and give up actions that endanger people's lives”.

The Democratic League of Kosovo has reacted after failing to reach an agreement in Brussels today between Kosovo and Serbia.

The LDK, through a reaction, said the Kosovo government in no case should behave in order for Serbia to look good and blame Kosovo, as it did today, according to her.

Kosovo's Democratic Order is very carefully following the situation created after today's failure in Brussels, of efforts to find a solution between Kosovo and Serbia, with EU mediation. The LDK estimates that stability and security are essential conditions for achieving progress, as well as exercising sovereignty in its entire territory”, it says in response. In turn, according to the LDK, extending legitimacy across the territory is Kosovo's undeniable right and that according to this party, success guarantees co-ordination with the US and the EU.

Kosovo needs its allies, historical supporters of the people of Kosovo. Those who damage their reports with the Allies risk leaving our country without support. Kosovo has reached as far as here, along with the allies, and thus should continue further”, said in response.

Tensions in the area following the government's decision on license plates, which was dealt with despite calls from the United States and the European Union for a ten-month extension, increased in a period of discussions on a normalisation agreement between Kosovo and Serbia in light of a European proposal that became known as the Franco-German initiative.

European officials have said the two sides have not rejected the proposal, which is supported by the United States.

Authorities in Kosovo say the proposal is a valid basis for further discussions on normalisation of relations, while the Serbian president said Serbia has neither accepted the proposal nor rejected it, but is ready for talks about it.

Kosovo government has started implementing its plan for reregistering Serbian illegal license plates on plates on November 1st. RKS, or Republic of Kosovo.

Serbia ʹ which issues license plates for Kosovo Serbs since the 1999 post-war dispute that plan, insisting on neutral plates to Kosovo's status.

As a result of mounting tensions, Kosovo's northern Serbs, where cars with illegal license plates mainly circulated, have resigned from Kosovo institutions.

They have also warned that they will reject the pronunciation of fines by Kosovo authorities.

Under the Kosovo Government plan, the pronunciation of fines of 150 euros for drivers who drive cars with illegal license plates is set to begin on November 22nd.

From November 1st to midnight on November 21st is the stage of driver rebuke.

After the fines phase, according to the plan, will start distributing pro-vative plates, while on April 21st of next year, only RKS plates will be allowed in communications.