Escobar again: If the Kosovo government forms association, we will do it

In an interview for N1, he said that the formation of the Serb majority Communist Association is envisioned with the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, while saying one side should not give up on it.

If the government doesn't start doing this, we will. I will work with those people to make it a reality”, Escobar said.

When asked if it was a warning to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurtin, Escobar says he had informed him.

The “people know the AK's options. Northern Mitrovica is on the border of four countries, and in terms of business, a tax-free zone for the Open Balkans or something similar could be made. The association will help all countries in the region. There are elements for optimism. We need a more sustainable solution. We want this solution to be more permanent”, Escobar said.

Speaking of barricades in the north, he said he has heard the concerns of people who have established them and that they are legitimate.

“There is a way to move forward, just as there is a reason why they set the barricades and why they will remove them. Serbs should also return to joint institutions, because they are needed there. I think in the near future, this will happen”, Escobar says.

According to him, the priority is to find a solution for the entire region, not only for Kosovo and Serbia.

As he said, he has the dedication of Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq, that he will try to work towards removing the barricades, but that there is no time to leave.

“I hope it will be” in a few days, Escobar said.

Speaking of the German-French plan, Escobar says the priority is finding a solution for the entire region, not only for Kosovo, and that the US considers the Western Balkans an important part of the Euro-Atlantic community.

When talking about license plates or ID cards, they must be documents that go anywhere. Instead of discussing documents, let's talk about removing the need for those documents. There are real opportunities to learn lessons and find solutions for citizens”, he said.

As he says, the fact is that Belgrade has a huge impact on the population in the north and should, because they are not only citizens of Kosovo but also of Serbia.

“They have full right to protect Kosovo institutions and participate in Serbia's political life. We have to find a solution for that community. First of all, it has to be in the hands of local Serbs, they have to deal with this situation, they have to have the lead role, they have to complain about their vulnerability, we want them to be in structure to have influence from the inside. There are legitimate representatives of the community”, Escobar said.

Asked whether Vuciq has given up KFOR's request for sending the army, he says this crisis should not be militarized.

“This is not the time to use the army, but diplomacy”, he said, and added that the statement that the US provides security guarantees to Kosovo is not a threat to Serbia, because those guarantees also have Serbs in Kosovo.

“We will not allow anyone from Kosovo to threaten Serbia or threaten the stability of northern Kosovo”, Escobar said.

He reiterated that initiatives like the Berlin Process and the Open Balkans can create greater opportunities for the region.

“This means that Serbia and Kosovo are recognised, that they need a peaceful relationship. I don't know what it's gonna be. I think all countries should recognise each other and try to integrate into the EU. What relationships will open up opportunities and that's what we want we're going to reach”, Escobar concluded.