Von Croamon: Kosovo does not have legitimacy to enter municipal buildings in the north, we are very worried

The rapporteur for Kosovo in the European Parliament, Violet von Cromon, says he understands that young Albanian mayors in northern Kosovo, inhabited by Serb majority, may have the right to exercise their positions.

However, von Cromon tells Radio Free Europe that if their entry into municipal buildings is only to be done with the presence of heavy armed police forces, then they have “zero political legitimacy”.

I think a lot of things go wrong in this country if this is reality, if we see armoured cars, heavy-armed cops, special units that guard 24/7 municipal buildings, we really need to think about other possibilities and other options. That's not at least what we and the EU have in mind. I know this is a difficult situation, as I said before, the Government may have something else in mind, but as it applied it, it's not in line with everything, at least we in the EU would like to see”, she says.

According to the top European official, it takes a solution that would include local residents, following increasing tensions in northern Kosovo, when local Serb groups on May 26th rejected the entry into municipal buildings of the new Albanian mayors of Zvecan, Leposaviqi and Zubin Potok.

Kosovo police assisted their entry into offices and clashed with local Serbs, who threw stones in the direction of police forces. Police countered with shock bombs and tear gas, as it reported that five policemen were injured and some of their cars burned.

“We can't just apply the right to enter a municipal building, even if de jure you have the right to do so. But, de facto I don't think there's a legitimacy to do something like that”, says Violet von Cromon.

The international community has strongly condemned Kosovo's actions, urging it to relax the situation. The EU has demanded that Pristina not take unilateral action, meanwhile, the United States has demanded that Kosovo stop immediately “violent measures”.

Von Croamon has met on May 28th with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti. While the European official refuses to show details of the meeting, she says that with the Kosovo prime minister, they have different views regarding the situation in the north.

“I think we're at a strategic point on how to proceed if the situation continues. We're all very worried and you've seen the strong statement by American Secretary of State Antony Blinken of our QUINT, our embassy. So I think the whole international community condemns this action in the most powerful way possible”, she says.

Von Croamon is visiting municipalities in northern Kosovo. She was asked whether she will meet with representatives of the Serbian List, but said that from this party, which is the largest Serb party in Kosovo, she enjoys the support of official Belgrade have refused to meet with her.

I met with many representatives in the morning, but unfortunately the Serbian List has refused to meet me. I don't know the reason for that, I would be very happy to meet with them”, she says.

Kosovo police have told Radio Free Europe that for the second day in a row, the situation in the north is calm and stable. From this institution, they have also said that police officers are continuing to guard municipal buildings.

The four new mayors in the north included the North Mitrovica mayors who have stepped out of his office without a problem because the municipal building is separated from the building where Serb parallel institutions operate in this municipality were elected in the extraordinary local elections held on 23 April.

The elections in these Serb-run majority-run municipalities were held following the chairmanship's resignation from the Serbian List in November last year.

This party abandoned all Kosovo institutions due to the Government's decision in Pristina to conduct the process of reregistering cars with Serbian illegal license plates.

The elections were boycotted by the majority Serb population in the area, which now does not accept the results, respectively.

Turnout in the April elections was 3.47 percent of the total number of registered voters. / REL