“EURONWES”: Serbian municipalities' association seen as calming the situation in northern Kosovo

The coverage opens with the view of the town of Mitrovica, as alarm sirens are heard, as police on the Ibri Bridge are shown, considered a dividing point. Meanwhile, people appear to be nervous on both sides of this bridge.

“Euronews” newspaper visits the municipality of Zvecan, one of the municipalities that has had tensions following the Albanian chairman's election. Film footage shows thorn fences, barricades and KFOR forces, while reporting how Serbs in this municipality gather every day in front of the municipality building. The latter refuse to be promoted for the cameras.
Meanwhile, the new mayor, elected to this municipality, says that despite the low number of votes he has received, he considers these elections legitimate and that new elections would be unfair.

I think it's legitimate, because I was elected by citizens' votes, no matter what number they were, so of course. New elections would be unfair because the will of the citizens is broken.” He was promoted to the journalist.

The team that worked for this report also visited the Leposavici municipality, showing how the new mayor of this municipality was alone in the municipality building and preserved by international forces.

Although in these municipalities, none of the Serbs refused to be promoted in front of the cameras in Mitrovica, Milica said the current situation has resulted from the lack of injections to implement in the proper manner the agreements Kosovo and Serbia have signed.

“A part is due to the lack of will by Kosovo and Serbia to be constructively involved in a dialogue and to implement the agreements as they were envisioned for the Serb community, where one of the most important was that for the association of Serb majority municipalities that was signed 10 years ago and not implemented.” Milica, a researcher on Kosovo's policy effects on the life of the Serb community, said.

In reporting, the association of Serbian municipalities is seen as one of the ways it can help calm the situation.

“The Association of Serb majority municipalities would ensure a level of self-management for Kosovo Serbs. It came as a result of the 2013 Brussels Agreement, but Kosovo and Serbia have not yet agreed on how they will implement it.

This is one of the key points preventing the normalisation of relations between these two communities.” It says in the report of “Euronews”.

Meanwhile, the EU and USA, Kosovo's top international supporters have strongly instructed the Kosovo government to stop provocations, threatening sanctions.

Lulzim Peci, a researcher and former Kosovo diplomat questioned by “Euronews” about the current situation, said both sides should return to the dialogue table. He also explained the current conduct of internationals with the argument that it is an attempt to separate Serbia from Russian influence.

“Both sides must return to the negotiating table, but also the West must have a balance in terms of sanctions on Kosovo and Serbia. I personally understand that there is a kind of desire in the West to draw Serbia westward and remove it from Russia, but this cannot be exchanged with the stability of the region” says Peci.

Experts agree that there are no current elements signaling the outbreak of a conflict in Kosovo. Despite the situation remains unstable.

The EU is strongly guiding Kosovo and Serbia to find a solution as soon as possible. With the war in Ukraine, the Balkans are seen as the new line of confrontation between Moscow and Brussels. For Belgrade and Pristina, the current situation is slowing not only the normalisation process, but also the journey towards EU membership.

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