EPA resolution required punishment of Serbia if involvement in Banjska attack is proven

The resolution, passed by hand, stresses that the European <x0-deputs are closely following ongoing investigations by Kosovo authorities and urging Serbia to co-operate fully and bring to justice those responsible for the attack, which are currently residing in Serbia, including facilitating their extradition to Kosovo”.

The resolution says aggressive military behaviour, along with radicalised political messages in Serbia and strong signals of Serbian involvement in the recent political violence in northern Kosovo, shows that the Serbian government is pursuing a very dangerous but continuing policy regarding Kosovo and Western partners. European MPs also stress that they are concerned by evidence linking violent criminal groups in northern Kosovo and in Serbia with the Serbian state.

“If the investigation reveals direct involvement of the Serbian state in the September 24th attacks, the European Commission must freeze funds for Serbia from the Instrument for Pre-membership 3”, it says in the resolution, while calling on the Council to adopt limited measures targeted, including but without being limited to freezing assets and preventing travel to destabilising actors in northern Kosovo and leaders of key organised crime networks.

The resolution calls on the European Commission to act as an honest mediator in the normalisation process, avoid easing Serbia, and lift punitive measures against Kosovo.

The European Parliament calls on Serbia and Kosovo to denounce all forms of violence and acts of provocation, urging them to stop any action that could further escalate tensions and work actively towards a peaceful resolution of disputes through relaxed dialogue by the European Union.

Kosovo accuses Serbia of organising the police attack in the village of Banjska in the north on 24 September, with a police officer and three of the attackers killed. Official Belgrade denies any connection to the armed group that carried out the attack, which was claimed by Milan Radojcic, former deputy head of the Serbian List, the largest political subject of Serbs in Kosovo.

Western diplomats say September 24th witnessed the importance of normalising Kosovo relations while Serbia has been put in new efforts to renew Kosovo talks.

In this context the special envoys of the United States and the European Union, Gabriel Escobar and Miroslav Lajcak, along with French President Emannuel Macron's advisers, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Melon are expected to stay on Saturday, October 21st in Kosovo and Serbia, in an effort to push the parties towards implementing the agreement reached in Brussels and the annex of implementation in Ohrid earlier this year.

Authorities in Kosovo say the dialogue process should be reconsidered after the September 24th attack, demanding Serbia's sanction and the priority to be given security in Kosovo. / VOA