The Heads of State or Government of the Member States of the European Union are keeping up the pressure on the Kosovar authorities, warning them that failure to take concrete steps to ease tensions in the north of Kosovo could have “negative consequences”, in conclusions they adopted on Friday 30 June.
The EU27 condemned the violence and called for an “immediate de-escalation of the situation”, given that the region has been the scene of violence since 26 May. The Albanian mayors elected in four Serb-majority municipalities had taken office on this date, having been elected in elections boycotted by the Serb community (see EUROPE 13190/20).
“The parties should create the conditions for early elections in all four municipalities in the north of Kosovo”, the European Council emphasises. Earlier in the week, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell (see EUROPE 13209/5), had set the organisation of new elections as a sine qua non condition for de-escalating tensions.
“Failure to de-escalate tensions will have negative consequences. It is essential that the EU-facilitated dialogue led by the High Representative and the swift implementation of the Agreement on the path to normalisation and its Implementation Annex continue”, warn the Member States.
The conclusions adopted by the Heads of State or Government do not spell out the measures that could be taken.
However, the European Commission announced on 27 June, through the Director General for Enlargement, Gert Jan Koopman, that the programming of funds for Kosovo would be suspended and that proposals submitted by Kosovo via the investment framework would no longer be examined at this stage (see EUROPE 13211/4). Mr Koopman also specified that “high-level events and visits to Kosovo will be suspended”.
To see the conclusions of the European Council, go to https://aeur.eu/f/7uk (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)