American expert: Kurti created tensions in the north, the whole burden falls on it for sanctions

Ben Meir says Prime Minister Kurti should make clear that he is ready to co-operate with the EU, which, according to him, should set an exact date for elections in northern Kosovo.

“Prime Minister Kurti must first show that he is willing and willing to co-operate with the EU, initially setting a fixed date for new elections in Serb-dominated municipalities north of Kosovo”, he said.

In addition, Kurti must forward his assessment of what the EU and US are trying to do to calm the atmosphere in the north, which is critical, especially now that the war in Ukraine continues to anger and Putin will do everything he can to destabilise the” region, Ben Meir says.

Ben Meir added that it is Prime Minister Kurti himself who created tension in the north, while I suggested that the whole burden is now above him for sanctions.

Neither the EU nor the US enjoy imposing sanctions on Kosovo. Kurt should not expect either of these powers to accommodate him by lifting sanctions when he is challenging what they consider critical importance for both the West and the national interest of Kosovo. He created tension in the north; the burden is now on him to ease it in order to lift sanctions”, Bain Meir said.

Asked what other steps the Government of Kosovo should take to recover “from these measures, Bain Meir has a firm answer.

“Kurti must withdraw police who sent during the time of elections to lower tension and signal his readiness to co-operate at any level instead of impose his will regardless of political sensitivity and unnecessary involvement of the EU and Serbia if he had not created tension in the first place”, American expert for Blic newspaper said.

We remember that, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, in an interview for “Bloomberg” given Monday in Slovenia, in addition to normalising reports with Serbia and completing this process by spring 2017, has also talked about the European Union's measures that have been imposed on Kosovo as a result of the government's actions in the country's north.

Kurti has said EU measures are damaging Kosovo in terms of financial and material support, citing grants and loans Kosovo receives from the EU.

He has said state agencies and the business community are also being damaged.

“The measures are damaging us in terms of financial and material support of funds and grants and loans we receive from the EU. Our state agencies and our business community are hurting”, Kurti said at “Bloomberg”.