Lajçak: We agreed with the chief negotiator of Kosovo on the first steps towards de-escalation

2023-07-10 20:06:24, Kosova & Bota CNA

Lajçak: We agreed with the chief negotiator of Kosovo on the first steps

The Special Envoy of the European Union for the Kosovo-Serbia talks, Miroslav Lajcak, said on Monday that he has agreed with the chief negotiator of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, on the first steps towards de-escalation of the situation in the north, without giving more details about them.

"I held intense discussions today in Bratislava with Mr. Bislimi about the extension of the situation in the north of Kosovo according to the European demands laid out on June 3, as well as about the way to implement all the agreements reached in the dialogue," he wrote on Twitter.

Mr. Bislimi said in an announcement on social networks that he talked with Mr. Lajçak about the next steps for the "full and fair" implementation of the agreement and its implementation plan.

"We agreed on the necessary steps to ensure effective and lawful extension, focusing on normalization and enforcement of the rule of law," he wrote on Twitter.

Mr. Lajçak, during his visit to Pristina and Belgrade last week, warned that the efforts of Western diplomacy for the extension of the situation and the return of the parties to the dialogue will continue.

The West wants to reduce tensions through a European plan that foresees the suspension of police operations in the north, the relocation of mayors to alternative offices and the announcement of early elections with the unconditional participation of Kosovo Serbs.

Although the leaders of both countries have pledged to de-escalate the situation, there are still no concrete steps from either side to implement Western demands.

The government of Kosovo has been criticized by Western diplomacy and has been put under punitive measures by the European Union due to the tensions in its north where groups of Serbian protesters took to the streets opposing the placement in municipal offices of the Albanian mayors who emerged from the April 23 elections. boycotted by Serbian parties.

Opposition parties in Kosovo said on Monday that they will boycott all votes in parliament, as a sign of opposition to the government's approach to the crisis in the north of the country.

The chairman of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Memli Krasniqi, during the continuation of an earlier meeting of the parliament, requested the organization of early elections.

"Let's return the mandate to the citizens and let them decide if they are really interested in Kosovo continuing on this path that you as a parliamentary majority and government have introduced, or if they have a different opinion. Because when they voted for you, they didn't vote for you for this path of confrontation and strife that you have set this country on today," he said.

The head of the parliamentary group of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Besnik Tahiri, said that the government's actions against the security situation in the north and western states are isolating the country.

"All voting at all levels, starting from the presidency, commissions and sessions, will not take place. The reason is very simple, the country is at a dead end and the only solution is the motion which will produce elections", said Mr. Tahiri.

The presidency of the Kosovo parliament failed today to schedule a new parliamentary session for this week, in the absence of representatives of the opposition political parties.

The head of the parliamentary group of the Vetëvëndosje movement in power, Mimoza Kusari - Lila, said that the boycott that the opposition parties are doing is unreasonable.

"We consider these actions completely unacceptable and unreasonable and of course perhaps the greatest damage done to the country in a situation where there should be mobilization of the institutions, especially the assembly, considering that we have laws that have direct impact on the lives of citizens", she said.

The opposition in Kosovo has warned earlier that it will take a series of actions to oppose the government's approach to the crisis in the north, raising concerns about damage to relations with allies due to the lack of coordination with them./ VOA