Bislimin goes against elections in the north, says Kosovo should condition the EU with the removal of sanctions

Bislimi said he is awaiting the EU's announcement of the removal of sanctions, following the compliance achieved between Kosovo and the EU in Bratislava, and the withdrawal of 25% of police forces from municipal buildings in 4 northern municipalities.

Although earlier, Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani has said that organising the elections allows Kosovo's legal arrangement and that something like that can be done through a petition signed by 20 per cent of citizens on the voter list, who can initiate the process of new elections, Bislimi said it is not certain that there is an appropriate legal basis for their proclamation.

“is Kosovo's internal problem, which we disagree on is enough administrative direction, or law must be”, he said.

The eventual resignation of the mayors would lead municipalities to early elections, but according to Bislim, the government, led by the Vetevendosje Movement, will not seek such a thing by the mayors of northern Mitrovica and Leposaviqi, who are from this party.

The mayors of two other municipalities, Zvecan and Zubin Potok, are among the Democratic Party of Kosovo.

The Kosovo government has agreed on July 10th to make a public statement, to support holding early elections in four northern municipalities after the summer. Under the agreement, Kosovo is committed to providing the necessary legal basis to enable the organisation of elections.

Due to the failure to meet the requirements submitted by the European bloc, Brussels in late June began implementing several punitive measures against Kosovo.

Diplomatic sources from the EU have said lifting the punitive measures the European Union has imposed on Kosovo would depend on implementing the obligations Pristina has taken and other steps expected by authorities in Kosovo to continue efforts to reduce tensions in the north.

According to these sources, these steps Kosovo is taking “are steps in the right direction”, but in the EU they expect to see more steps.

“The measures towards Kosovo were not set so easily, they are returnable and will not last a day longer than they should. But, for their withdrawal, evidence is needed that Kosovo is taking all steps that have been asked of it, and because of which these steps had also been put in place”, a source in the EU said.

The measures the EU is implementing towards Kosovo include: the temporary suspension of the work of troops created under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (MSA), Kosovo's failure to get to high-level meetings and the suspension of bilateral visits, in addition to those focusing on addressing the crisis in northern Kosovo within the framework of EU-attensive dialogue.

Other measures include halting Kosovo funds programming 2024 (Before-memberial institutions) as well as Kosovo's proposals under the Western Balkans Investment Framework have not surrendered for review by the board 29 June and 30 June.

The situation in northern Kosovo has deteriorated as local Serbs in northern Kosovo municipalities { Zvecan, Leposaviq and Zubin Potok have rejected the entry of new Albanian mayors, with Kosovo Police assisting the municipal buildings.

Crusaders have won the mandates in elections held in April of this year, which Serbs have boycotted. / REL