The Kosovo authorities closed five institutions working with the country’s ethnic Serb minority over the weekend of 31 August/1 September, triggering renewed tensions with Serbia.
According to police forces commissioned by the Kosovar government, the operation was carried out at the request of the Ministry of Administration and Local Authorities to put an end to “illegal activities”.
This closure comes against a backdrop of continuing tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, despite a 13-year attempt to normalise trade facilitated by the European Union.
The most recent Pristina-Belgrade Dialogue at the end of June (see EUROPE 13441/13) did not produce any major breakthroughs. “We cannot want normalisation - as the European Union, alone - of the relations between the parties if [they] themselves cannot agree on how to move forward. We cannot take their place”, stressed the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell.
In a press release, the European External Action Service expressed its disappointment at the continuing lack of agreement and condemned the unilateral decision, which risks exacerbating an already difficult situation.
On several occasions, the EU has asked Kosovo to avoid any action likely to jeopardise personal safety. “Unfortunately, the Kosovo government has not heeded our appeals”.
Miroslav Lajčák, the EU’s representative for the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue, held talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić at a forum in Prague on Saturday 31 August. He stated that he expected the EU to react firmly, clearly and concretely. (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)