The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, said on Wednesday 26 July that new elections could not be held without a de-escalation of tensions in the four Serb-majority municipalities where Albanian mayors were elected last April, despite the violence that has been taking place in the region since 26 May, when the Albanian mayors took office (see EUROPE 13190/20).
“I don’t think anyone is expecting elections in the north without complete de-escalation, but of course we are continuing to work. We are preparing for early elections”, he said, adding that he also expected the measures taken by the EU against Pristina to be lifted quickly (see EUROPE 13213/4).
Two days earlier, on Monday 24 July, his deputy prime minister, Besnik Bislimi, had also stated at a press conference that the elections could not take place without the measures being lifted.
These measures, which the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, refused to describe as ‘sanctions’, include the suspension of Kosovo’s participation in high-level meetings, the suspension of bilateral visits and the temporary suspension of the bodies set up under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (see EUROPE 13209/5).
For its part, on Tuesday 25 July, the European Commission reiterated its call on Pristina to organise new elections without delay in the four Serb-majority municipalities.
“The dialogue will continue and the EU facilitator will convene another meeting shortly. The EU expects both parties to respect without further delay their obligations in terms of dialogue and the EU’s de-escalation requirements”, commented the European Commission through one of its spokespersons. (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)