From the Kurti-Vucciq confrontation in Brussels, to the back of the post for 48 hour extension of license plates

The US Embassy in Pristina has asked the Kosovo government to postpone the fines for citizens who drive the target vehicles that Serbia illegally releases for Kosovo regions.

I thanked Ambassador Havenier for his commitment and commitment. I accept his request for a 48-hour delay in providing fines for illegal KM (and others). I'm happy to work with the US and the EU to find a solution over the next two days”, the prime minister wrote on Twitter.

That was a few minutes after Havenier announced last night that he has asked the Government for two days to suspend the implementation of the decision.

The United States is concerned that Kosovo and Serbian leaders could not reach an agreement today on the current crisis. We asked the Government of Kosovo to postpone providing fines, to allow the EU and the US to advance the parties to find a solution”, the US Ambassador's statement said.

After eight hours of negotiations in Brussels between Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq, with mediating EU representatives, the parties failed to reach an agreement on license plates.

Today, November 22nd, the implementation of the second phase of the decision to convert illegal plates, which would include the fine of all those who still use these plates.

What happened at the 8-hour meeting with Kurti-Vukic of Borrell?

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said Kosovo and Serbia did not reach any agreement on the license issue while warning of responsibility belonging to both sides for developments on the ground.

For about eight hours, Mr. Borrell met separately and together with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic in a bid to reduce tensions in northern Kosovo and avoid them on the eve of the second phase of implementing the Kosovo government's decision to convert Serbia's vehicle plates.

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 did not.”, said Mr. Borrell.

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

“SI first expect Kosovo to immediately suspend further operations for re-registering cars in northern Kosovo... Serbia to interrupt issuing car plates with Kosovo city signs, including those marked KM”, said Mr. Borrell, stressing that he will inform European Union countries of the parties' actions and disrespect for international legal obligations.

“And I have to say this applies specifically to Kosovo”, he said, underlining that he has made 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 Mr Borrell's request.

“Sleepless nights 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 hold meetings always with the same structure and order, to reach a final agreement on full normalisation of relations with mutual recognition in the centre and other issues like that with car 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 who only deal with license plates and don't talk about normalising their relationship.”, 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, Mr. Borrell “gave up this” and the EU's “proposal for normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia”.

But, EU spokesman Peter Stano said in a written statement sent to the media that claims that the EU has renounced 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 to violence”, said Mr. Stano.

Osmani: Borrell was one-sided.

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 mention Serbia, at least some of these broken Brussels agreements, instead of accusing Kosovo”, wrote President Osmani listing agreements that, according to her, were 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 Watchful”, he wrote on social networks.

KFOR Seeks Avoiding Tensions

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 purpose 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 parties to refrain from unilateral actions or rhetoric and prevent any further escalation of tensions”, said at KFOR's announcement.

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.

Haradinaj: Sudden of the Targat Decision

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 fall prey to the regime's political calculations in Belgrade”, Mr. Haradinaj wrote underlining that “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.”!

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.