Borrell's Kosovo report could include closing banks in the north

European Union spokesman Peter Stano has said on Tuesday that the European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, is finalising the report about steps Kosovo has taken to lift the European bloc's punitive measures, and that Kosovo authorities' operations to close the sites of Serbia's Savings Bank in northern Kosovo will be involved.

On May 20th, authorities in Kosovo have conducted a police operation on Serbian financial institutions in northern Kosovo, resulting in the closure of six facilities of the Post and People's Bank of Serbia in four municipalities in northern Kosovo, inhabited by Serb majority.

During the action, which Kosovo authorities have described as a measure for setting “order and legitimacy”, various evidence has been confiscated, including money.

EU member states have asked weeks ago for Borell to compile a report as soon as possible, to understand what Kosovo has done towards meeting conditions to remove the measures imposed.

Most member states have proposed that the measures be completely removed, while some states are gradually removed.

But before making decisions, they have also requested Borrell's assessment.

Radio Free Europe has learned from diplomatic sources that due to developments about closing Serbia's Post Savings Bank facilities, these actions are required to be taken into account in Borrell's report.

Stano said the same on May 28th.

The “Masses were set as a result of Kosovo's uncoordinated and unilateral actions, which led to the escalation of the situation. The measures were set in order to motivate Kosovo authorities to take steps to stress. Of course, everything that has a negative impact on the ground, and in the bid for expansion, is being taken into account and is getting involved in the report“, he said.

Both the United States and the European Union have said that the recent actions of Kosovo authorities have been unilateral and uncoordinated “.

Based on the dictionary that EU spokesman used by presenting the European Union's position, diplomats estimate it will now be harder to propose removing measures towards Kosovo.

However, some member states are still awaiting the report.

The European Union has imposed punitive measures on Kosovo a year ago, with the argument that Kosovo has not done enough to avoid escalating tensions in May last year in the country's north.

At the time, local Serbs have protested the entry of Albanian mayors into municipal facilities in Zvecan, Leposaviq and Zubin Potok.

In growing tensions, local Serbs have been confronted by members of the NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR, leaving dozens of soldiers injured.

Stano says EU report on eventual removal of measures against Kosovo has yet to be completed