The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo failed to agree in EU-mediated crisis talks in Brussels on Thursday on efforts to end weeks of violence in predominantly Serb areas of northern Kosovo, according to Euractiv.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Kosovo’s premier Albin Kurti were summoned for crisis talks after the EU and US demanded the two sides take steps to calm the situation, which flared up once again after simmering ever since Kosovo declared independence from Belgrade in 2008.
While the initial aim was for both leaders to meet face-to-face, they instead only held separate talks with the EU’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, and EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajčák.
Violence flared in four northern Kosovo municipalities late last month after ethnic Albanian mayors took office following a local election in which turnout was just 3.5% after Serbs, who form a majority in the region, boycotted the vote.
Tensions worsened after police in Serbia arrested three Kosovo policemen last week, saying they had crossed the border between the two countries. Pristina says they were arrested inside Kosovo. The international community has called for their immediate and unconditional release, yet they remain in custody in Serbia.
Speaking in Brussels after the meetings, Borrell said he had asked Kurti to withdraw the mayors, remove special police from four municipal buildings, and uphold a 2013 deal for an association of Kosovo Serb municipalities with some degree of autonomy.
“After four hours of meeting, I think the two leaders understand the severity of the situation,” Borrell told reporters.
“But obviously, they are in different situations, different approaches, different interpretations,” he added.
The EU’s chief diplomat said he had asked Kurti “to announce early elections, as soon as possible, in all four municipalities on condition of the participation of Kosovo Serbs”, crucial for unwinding the current tensions.
“Here is the core of the problem and the core of the solution – early elections, as soon as possible,” Borrell said.
However, he conceded there was no agreement yet on holding a fresh vote.
“We are still not there,” Borrell said but added that both sides “discussed in detail the modalities and the steps on how to get there”.
Kurti said new elections could only be held in accordance with Kosovo law, meaning local Serbs would have to sign a petition to demand them.
“Every condition by [EU and US] that violates Kosovo’s laws I cannot fulfil,” he told reporters in Brussels and added: “If we stick to the laws of our democratic republic, they provide enough of a frame and platform to get out from this crisis. We just need goodwill.”
Kurti called for the immediate release from Serbian custody of the three police officers and said he had presented evidence to Borrell that they had been inside Kosovo territory when they were detained.
Borrell said he had demanded Vučić to free the three Kosovo policemen “urgently and unconditionally” and withdraw Serb protesters from the vicinity of municipal buildings in the four towns simultaneously with the pullout of Kosovo police.
Vučić said he was ready for more talks with EU mediators but stressed that meeting Kurti in person “makes no sense”.
“We will continue to talk on a daily basis because we believe peace and stability are of crucial importance, but (…) Serbs (…) do not want to suffer Kurti’s terror,” he told reporters in Brussels.
Borrell said Vučić had presented him with a report alleging beatings of Serbs arrested during and after the protests and promised that an EU judicial mission in Kosovo would investigate.
“Arbitrary arrests and mistreatment of prisoners is completely unacceptable,” Borrell said.
The EU had announced political consequences for Kosovo, such as suspending high-level visits and financial cooperation, if it does not reverse course on the elections.
Borrell said he would consult with EU foreign ministers at their regular meeting on Monday about the bloc’s next steps.