Rama's proposal for international conference, Kurti sceptical about this

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti does not name the idea of an international conference on Kosovo and Serbia as a potential solution to tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, but says implementation of the agreement reached in Brussels is the solution.

“We have had international conferences in the past and now we have a basic agreement, from February 27th this year in Brussels and also from March 18th to Ohrid with the application annex”, Kurti said, during a visit to Prizren.

The whole thing that needs to be done is to make sure that basic agreement is implemented in its entirety and so [just] balanced. This has to be done, and we are engaged in Brussels at meetings we have”, he added.

Albania's prime minister, Edi Rama, unveiled the idea for holding an international conference on Kosovo and Serbia on 27 June. That day, Rama spoke in Brussels with senior European officials, including European Council President Charles Michel, who supported the idea.

I think the time has come to have a global approach and to take clear steps towards normalisation [of Kosovo-Serbia relations]”, Michel said on June 29th.

Kosovo and Serbia have agreed in February this year in Brussels on a basic agreement for normalising relations. Then, in March in Ohrid, they were also hired for the application annex.

But tensions between Kosovo and Serbia have added to the situation in northern Kosovo, the Serb-populated area. Now a month, locals there oppose Albanian mayors, released by the April 23rd elections.

Their protests have escalated even in violent clashes between Serb demonstrators and NATO mission soldiers KFOR. There were also reports of hand grenades and other vehicles in the area.

Kosovo and Serbia have blamed each other for the situation created, while the international community has placed responsibility mainly over Kosovo.

The EU, earlier, has come up with a plan to reduce tensions, which, among other things, includes announcing new elections in the north and withdrawing Kosovo's special police unit from the area. The plan also requires, from Serbia, to ensure the participation of Serbs in the new evental elections. The Serbian community has boycotted the April elections.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has voiced favour in holding new elections, but, as he has said, within the legal framework of the state.

Kurti repeatedly insists that “cannot compromise with the democratic republic”. / REL