Faithful Bislimia Uncertain for Law Base of Elections in the North

Currently, Kosovo is awaiting the European Union's announcement of the removal of punitive measures after an agreement reached between Kosovo and the EU in Bratislava. The government has already withdrawn 25% of police forces from municipal buildings in four Serb-run northern municipalities. Kosovo has also agreed to hold new elections in northern municipalities.

But Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi in a recent statement has made Kosovo “not to announce elections in the country's north, without removing punitive measures imposed by the European Union”. While Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani earlier said that “organising elections in the north allows Kosovo's legal regulation and that something like that can be done even through a petition signed by 20 per cent of citizens on the voting list.

Faithful Bislimia Uncertain for Law Base of Elections in the North

Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi, at the same time Kosovo's chief negotiator in dialogue with Serbia, “is not sure there is an appropriate legal basis for declaring elections in the north”. According to him “is Kosovo's internal problem, which it disagrees with, whether administrative direction is enough, or law must be”. Another option for holding new elections in the north is the eventual resignation of Albanian mayors, which would automatically lead northern municipalities to early elections. But the Kosovo government, which is led by the Vetevendosje Movement, will not ask for that, Kosovo's chief negotiator, Bislimi, has said.

Just two weeks ago on July 10th, the Kosovo government agreed to support holding early elections in 4 northern municipalities after summer. A government statement also stressed that, Kosovo's “government publicly shows its readiness to contribute to the de-expassing of the situation and the failure to take actions that could destroy the situation in the country's north. This includes a recent reduction in the size of 25% police presence in the community and around municipal officials. Kosovo police, along with EULEX and KFOR, will, according to the need, appreciate the security situation, in particular, to look at the possibility of further reduction of police presence in the region and around municipal differences”, said in a report by the Kosovo government.

Due to tensions in northern Kosovo that swept Kosovo's north since May, and the government's failure to relax the situation, the EU imposed punitive measures on Kosovo. The situation in Kosovo's north deteriorated after local Serbs in northern Kosovo, Zvecan, Leposaviq and Zubin Potok rejected the entry of new Albanian mayors, with the help of Kosovo Police, to municipal buildings.

The European Union urged Kosovo to suspend police operations, transfer of Albanian mayors to alternative offices and announce early elections with unconditional participation of Kosovo Serbs. EU officials have reiterated that lifting punitive measures against Kosovo will 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.

Tensions Continue

The European Union is continuing to hold penalising measures against Kosovo that include; the temporary suspension of the work of troops created under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (MSA), Kosovo's failure to obtain high-level meetings and the suspension of bilateral visits. 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.

Tensions between Pristina and Belgrade continue, still in the background, no real communication seems, despite EU mediation. On July 24th, Kosovo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it has rejected the office head's request for Kosovo in Serbia's government, Petar Petkov, to enter Kosovo. “We confirm that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora has not approved the Serbian official's request this time, Petar Petkovic, for entry into the Republic of Kosovo”, said in a ministry report. Mr Petkovic, who is also Serbia's chief negotiator in dialogue with Kosovo, is not the first time to be denied entry into Kosovo. / DW