Supreme test for Kurti, West ultimatum for Kosovo Prime Minister ends tomorrow evening

EU representative Miroslav Lajcak and US representative Gabriel Escobar were once again put on an additional mission to normalise reports between Kosovo and Serbia, following recent developments in northern municipalities, Reporter writes.net.

However, as Escobar has stated, Prime Minister Kurti is not making their work that easy.

The international community's demands are three. The first, de-passing tensions in northern Kosovo; the second, organising new elections with the participation of the Serb community, and, third, establishing the Association of Major Serb Communities as a step towards implementing the Ohrid Agreement.

In an interview with journalists Tuesday, the day after meeting with chief executive, emissari Gabriel Escobar said Kurti has two days to respond to their demands, which means that the ticks are being frequented for the deadline that ends tomorrow evening, about 9:00.

After that, Escobar announced that Friday, he will report to the US, emissari Lajcak to the EU, regarding progress or not towards agreement.

The first “is the deespass, the second is to see new elections with Serb participation, and the third should immediately move towards implementing the Ohrid Agreement, meaning that we should see real efforts from Kosovo to commit to association and we should also look at steps from Serbia”.

We have to deal with this today and tomorrow because Friday Lajcak and I have to report to our superiors whether we were successful or not”, Escobar said at the meeting with journalists.

On the other hand, Escobar also strongly criticised Prime Minister Kurti, saying there is no <x0-instinct co-operation”, but added that the US connection is with the people of Kosovo.

At one point, when we want to restore co-ordination and partnership with this government, we are ready, because we will always be with the people of Kosovo. This does not mean that we should support an individual who does not have that instinct of co-operation and co-ordination”, he said.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti's stance, proportionally different
In announcing the prime minister's office after Monday's meeting with Escobar and Lajcak, no spark of “released by Prime Minister Kurti was noticed.

Communications stressed that Kurti is obsessed with, as he has said, the elimination of criminal gangs orchestrated by Belgrade in northern Kosovo.

This is seen as his number one step to continue co-operation with internationals for the reduction of the situation.

“Prime Minister said the road ahead is the immediate ban on attacks by violent extremists and criminal groups on local and international security bodies, as well as journalists”, KKM's announcement said yesterday.

In the eyes of the prime minister, free elections are possible only when they are cuffed or returned to Serbia these criminal groups.

The rule of law alone could pave the way for early, free, democratic and fair elections. Such should be the pre-election campaign”, Prime Minister Kurti stressed.

“Candidists and voters in the new elections must compete and participate without fear and threats. Order and legitimacy would certainly reduce the number of police officers in three northern municipalities by” proportionally.

He invited Brussels and Washington to call for a ban on violence and prosecution and punishment of its perpetrators.

His final verdict, Prime Minister Kurti, has until tomorrow to deliver through actions and responses, escalating the situation and meeting the EU and US requirements towards him, one of which is going to extraordinary elections in northern Kosovo.

What else did Escobar say?
US Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar at the meeting with journalists has also spoken of Article 7 of the Ohrid Agreement, the establishment of the Association of Serb-run municipalities.

The American emissary before journalists has said that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has the draft Association, but that he is, according to him, hiding it.

Escobar, who has been staying in Pristina since yesterday, has not found out whether the draft state for Association has been drafted by Kosovo or the European Union, but has stressed that that draft exists but is hiding.

Our location is that the agreement must be realised immediately. For Kosovo, the only choice is association. It cannot be ignored, it is in the Brussels Agreement, the Ohrid Agreement, and the conclusions drawn by the European Union. So, it's going to happen, but the question is with whom, and how long to wait”, Escobar said.

The US Emissar said that at any possible meeting with Prime Minister Kurti and Deputy Prime Minister Bislim, they focus only on Serbia.

We know what association should look like, and we know how it shouldn't look. We just have to start now, we can have a statute in one day, if we want to. That's what we want you to define yourself this way. And every time we talked to this prime minister and his deputy, all they want to talk about is Serbia. We want to talk about greater integration”.

Escobar said the association takes control of Serbia from the north, to bring it under Kosovo's control.

This is why we need association. From my perspective the Association is to remove Serbia's control from the north and bring it under the control of Kosovo, your Constitution and your legal structure, I don't see why anyone should see this” differently, Escobar said.

As to granting the latest response to Prime Minister Kurti, emissari Gabriel Escobar said it is not Kosovo that is refusing to co-ordinate with the US, but it is Prime Minister Kurti.

For Kosovo, it will convey a powerful message that Kosovo is not interested in co-ordinating with us. I think that would be unfortunate. And I mean, not Kosovo, but the prime minister. I want to make it very clear that we do not consider that this will affect the long - term relationship, but the actions taken or not can have certain consequences that will affect the relationship. I don't want it reached this point”, the American emissary stressed.