Havenier: Start negotiations urgently on forming association

That is what American Ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey Havenier declared at a meeting with journalists on November 9th.

The US ambassador's statements come several days after Serbian List officials -- the main party of Serbs in Kosovo -- announced that the northern Serbs will leave the justice, order, municipal institutions, but also the Assembly and the Government of Kosovo.

This, after the Kosovo government began implementing a plan to reregister cars with Serbian illegal license plates on 1 November, which was rejected by the majority of local Serbs and by official Belgrade.

The European Union and the United States of America asked Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, for this plan to be delayed for ten months, but that requirement was rejected.

Tensions north “due to Franco-German plan”

Prime Minister Kurti on November 7th accused Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq of destabilising the situation in the north, and said this is being done due to, as stated, the rejection of the French-German plan by the Serbian side. This plan, as reported, envisions resolving disputes between Kosovo and Serbia.

According to Kurti, Vuciq is using members of Serbian illegal structures in northern Kosovo for destabilisation.

For Kosovo, according to Kurti, the Franco-German plan is “opened in the right direction”.

In an interview for Radio Free Europe, Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi has said the Franco-German proposal envisions resolving conflicts in two phases. A large portion of the disputes would be resolved now, while a very small portion that they say is 1 percent would be left for a later period”, Bislim said.

Vuciq has said last month that France and Germany have proposed that Serbia allow Kosovo to join international organisations and institutions, including the United Nations, in exchange for its quick EU integration.

*Video: The Chronology of Growing Tensions in the North

Request and “refused” for formation of Association

The EU and the US have repeatedly called for Kosovo to take steps towards establishing the Association of Serb-run municipalities.

Kosovo and Serbia have reached agreement on establishing this association in 2013, under the dialogue for normalising relations, mediated by the EU.

In 2015, the parties have signed the Agreement on the principles for forming this association. That same year, the Constitutional Court has concluded that some provisions of this agreement are not in harmony with the constitutional spirit and that they must be harmonised.

Kurt has stated several times that it opposes forming a single-ethnic association.

Serbia, on the other hand, insists that the association be formed and have executive competencies.