The cases when Kosovo governments “ignored the US” advice, in most of them chief protagonist Albin Kurti

Disobedience has led to critical statements from the United States, and late to penalties.

Last week, Kosovo has been suspended from a major military exercise led by the US to Europe, due to the failure of US demands to stress the situation in the north . .

The United States has warned other consequences.

With the annulment of visits by officials, visa relations, cancellation of different financial programmes and training, Kosovo has faced even earlier, but, according to former US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried, “The US has never been so angry with the Government of Kosovo”.

2023 A great disagreement with America.

On 30 May, 2023, the U.S. has placed the most serious sanctions on Kosovo, suspending the participation of the Kosovo Security Force by “Defeder Europe cu23” a major military exercise of NATO allies, led by the US.

To this point it has come after the Kosovo government, despite US calls, has declined to withdraw Albanian mayors of majority Serb municipalities in northern Kosovo.

Their installation, with police help, has sparked protests by local residents, which have escalated even in violence.

Thirty soldiers of NATO's peacekeeping mission, KFOR, and dozens of protesters have been injured during clashes in the town of Zvecan on May 29th.

With a very critical tone in its report to Kosovo, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also indicated that tensions have escalated “in a sharp and unnecessary manner”.

Kurt has named Blinken's statements, among other things, as “naive”.

The crisis in the north has brought US envoy to Pristina for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar, who has said the US has “sfida in bilateral reports” with Kurti.

He has stressed that non-coordination with the US on the issue of new mayors in the north, “will have consequences for Kosovo”.

2022 Targat, Kosovo officials have been cancelled US visit

American officials, during 2022, have repeatedly tried to calm the situation in northern Kosovo, after Kurti's government has decided to stop the flow of cars with license plates issued by Serbia, which it considers illegal.

The decision has raised tensions so much that groups of local Serbs have set up barricades on main roads in the north.

The Kosovo government, despite suggestions by the US ambassador to Pristina, Jeff Hovenier, and US special envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar, has declined to postpone implementation of the license decision for another three months.

The shake-up of US-Kosovo reports has culminated when it became known that the US has cancelled several senior Kosovo officials' visits, including Justice Minister Albulen Haxhiu.

2020 tax Haradinaj left to Prime Minister Kurti

The 100 per cent tax on products originating from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which put the preliminary government led by Ramush Haradinaj, in effect was the first challenge facing Albin Kurti and the United States. American officials insisted on tax removal, but Government “Kurti I” refused to do so, and this led to economic sanctions against Kosovo.

The Milenium Challenge Corporation suspended several projects worth about $200 million. The tax was later lifted and programmes resumed.

2020 tax, severe threat to Trump Administration

The Kosovo government's non-reflection of tax removal led to the frequency of criticism and threats for Kosovo. US Senator David Perdue called for the withdrawal of American troops from Kosovo if it does not remove the tax on products of origin from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

His statement was supported by the son of then-American President Donald Trump, Donald Trump Junior, stressing that “is the time to return [American] troops home”.

That warning, however, did not materialize.

2019 tax left Kosovo out of “George Marshall”

The government headed by Albin Kurti is not the only one who has not heard American advice and has faced consequences.

In 2019, the US Embassy in Pristina has confirmed the annulment of invitations for 14 participants from Kosovo in eight European Centre for Security Studies programme “George Marshall”, headquartered in Germany.

To this decision has come after the Kosovo government, led by Ramush Haradinaj, has not heard US recommendations to remove the 100 per cent tax on products derived from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

2019 tax, US General Timothy Orr, has cancelled his visit to Kosovo

My heart will always meet Kosovo. This is my second home”, American General of the National Guard of Aeva, Timothy Orr, declared during a visit to Kosovo in 2018.

But this opinion on Kosovo may have wavered when in February 2019, the US government has cancelled General Orr's visit to Kosovo, as a result of the Kosovo Government's decision not to reduce the 100 per cent tax on products derived from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The announcement to abort the visit has also been warned that the US could cancel training, educational and military visits to Kosovo, in the event Kosovo Government, led by Ramush Haradinaj, does not reflect on the American requirement for tax removal.

2018 Tax, Prime Minister Haradinaj remained at home

The worldwide visit Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has been scheduled for the US, has been cancelled because it has not been given visas by the American Embassy in Pristina in time.

Once, visa failure has been denied by Haradinaj himself, but later Haradinaj himself has confirmed that the reason for the failure to travel has been exactly a visa.

Even here it has come because of the tax on products of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

2018 The demarcation with Montenegro and the ignoring of American suggestions

For several years in a row, the issue of demarcation of the border line between Kosovo and Montenegro has sparked tensions in Pristina. Violent street protests, tear gas in the Kosovo Assembly and American criticism of the Government of Kosovo have been almost daily between 2015 and March 2018.

In this period, Kosovo prime ministers have been Isa Mustafa of the Democratic League of Kosovo and Ramush Haradinaj of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo.

In 2016, that world's US vice president, Joe Biden, has demanded ratification of the demarcation during the visit to Pristina. His advice has not been heard, as ratification has taken place two years later.

2017 Attempt to abolish Special Court

In the second part of 2017, over 40 Kosovo Assembly deputies joined in launching an initiative to abolish Kosovo's Specialised Chambers, which were founded by vote in the Kosovo Assembly in 2015.

The possibility of abolishing what is known as the Special Court went completely contrary to the support the US had given it its establishment.

Autobots, Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, has praised the Special Court, which investigates alleged war crimes committed by former Kosovo Liberation Army members as unfair “for Kosovo”.

The then US Ambassador to Pristina, Greg Delawi, has said the Special's abolition would be “backhand to the US and has warned sanctions for MPs supporting this initiative and politicians leading it.

The result has also warned the U.S. State Department through some reactions. In the end, the abolition of Specials did not happen. / REL