Borrell: We agreed on the need to hold new elections in northern Kosovo

Today's “Meeting did not focus on much but on how and when ʹ how to calm the situation on the ground, how to organise new elections and how to return to dialogue and implement all the obligations of dialogue, in particular the recent agreement on the road to normalisation”, Borell said Thursday.

He has added that at the meeting with Kurti, he has reaffirmed the demand that Albanian mayors elected in Serbian municipalities work from alternative buildings.

Regarding the arrests of some Serbs in Kosovo following recent protests in the north, Borell also said that “could not be punished for the perpetrators of violence”.

However, he stressed that “the unjust arrest or abuse of prisoners is totally unacceptable”.

Also, Borrell claimed to have told Vuciqi that the three Kosovo police officers being held in custody in Serbia “must be released immediately and unconditionally”.

Borrell added that he will be in close contact with both sides in the coming days and that he will report to EU foreign ministers Monday for “where we stand and where we must go”.

For four hours in a row, in Brussels, Borrell and the European envoy for dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, have held “a series of meetings for crisis management”, first with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and later with Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq.

After meeting with dialogue mediators, Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, has said he cannot confirm that “has any guide” for exiting the crisis in northern Kosovo.

“We have discussed the issue, the substance, which was inevitable, but I also believe useful, but what we'll see tomorrow on the ground, I don't know... when we have trucks waiting...”, he said, referring to the blocking of the trucks with Serbian goods at the border with Kosovo.

EU High Representative Josep Borrell and the European envoy for dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, have held a series of meetings Thursday “for crisis management”, first with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and later with Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq.

No joint meeting has been held Thursday between Kurti and Vucciki.

Vuciq, during a media conference, has said he will not meet Kurt because he does not see reasons for this”.

Regarding resolving the situation in Kosovo, Vucic has said he is afraid that “everything has gone too far from”.

“We will continue to talk on a daily basis, because peace and stability are key, but I warned that Serbs are in a very difficult position and that they do not want to endure Kurti's terror in the way they have been forced to force to this moment”, Vuciq said further.

Earlier, Borell had written on Twitter that <x0 constructive ideas and willingness to compromise are the ones needed to address the ongoing crisis in Kosovo's north”.

“From the parties is expected to reduce tensions and fulfil their obligations, without preconditions”, wrote Borrell on the social Twitter network, after the end of meeting with the Kosovo executive chief, and at the start of meeting with the Serbian leader.

On the other hand, Kurti has said that at the Brussels meeting, he will insist on the immediately and unconditional release of the three [Kosovo] police officers held hostage by Serbia, the suspension of the situation and normalisation of the” reports.

Three Kosovo border police officers have been arrested by Serbian forces on 14 June. Serbian authorities say they have been arrested deep on Serbia's territory. Meanwhile, Kosovo authorities stress that three Kosovo police officers have been kidnapped within Kosovo's territory.

As of late May, tensions in northern Kosovo increased after the new Albanian mayors in the north, with Kosovo Police assisting, entered municipal buildings amid opposition from local Serbs.

Since then, local Serbs have protested in front of municipal buildings in Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposaviq.

On June 14th, tensions between Kosovo and Serbia deteriorated further, following the arrest of three Kosovo police officials. Serbia said they were arrested “deep” within its territory, but Kosovo said they were patrolling on Kosovo's territory, near the border line with Serbia on Leposavic.

The EU and the United States have submitted to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, three tensions-related requests: calming the situation in northern Kosovo, holding new elections in four municipalities in the north, and returning to dialogue for normalisation of reports. The US has also encouraged Kurti that young Albanian mayors of municipalities in the north perform their duties from alternative locations. / REL