The EP approves the resolution condemning the Serbian aggression in Banjska

2023-10-19 12:53:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The European Parliament has approved the proposed resolution for the condemnation of the Serbian aggression that took place in Banjska in Zveçan on September 24 of this year.

On Wednesday, the European MPs voted the five proposal-resolutions on the Banjska issue, which have been summarized in a joint resolution.

In the draft resolution proposed by the "S&D Group", which consists of socialists and democrats, a call was made to the European Union to "urgently change its softening policy towards Serbia".

Draft resolution:

Likewise, point 13 of the draft resolution of the "S&D Group" calls for the measures taken by the EU towards Kosovo to be removed immediately.

"To emphasize the importance of holding Serbia responsible for its role in the attack of September 24, 2023 and the need to impose negative measures against Serbia".

"To express regret for the fact that the Belgrade court rejected the call of the Belgrade Chief Public Prosecutor's Office for the detention of Milan Radoicic, due to the risk of his escape, considering that Radoicic took responsibility for organizing the attack on September 24, 2023" , it is stated in the draft resolution of the socialists and democrats.

The pro-European political group also submitted a draft resolution to the European Parliament, which called on the EU and its member states to prepare sanctions against the organizers, financiers and perpetrators of the September 24 attack in Banjska based on the findings of the investigation.

Likewise, in the draft resolution of this group, Serbia has been called upon to refrain from its efforts to isolate Kosovo from the international community.

"We regret that Serbia has resumed the campaign of derecognition towards Kosovo; we call on Serbia to refrain from efforts to isolate Kosovo from the international community by campaigning against its recognition or by excluding the country from international organizations", states, among other things, in the draft resolution of this group.

The draft resolution was also submitted by the "Greens/European Free Alliance" group, which is mainly composed of green and regional political parties.

This group in the European Parliament has submitted a draft resolution of 24 points, where in point 2 it is requested that all the perpetrators of the terrorist attack in Banjska be brought to justice, as it also mentioned the attacks during the month of May against members of KFOR, the Police of Kosovo and journalists.

"We demand that all the perpetrators of this terrorist attack be brought to justice without delay, including in Serbia. We strongly condemn the violent attacks of May 2023 against KFOR soldiers, policemen and Kosovar journalists; we call on the relevant authorities to bring to justice all the perpetrators of these deplorable attacks".

It has also called on the European Commission and the Council of Europe to take action against the Government of Serbia if the investigations reveal that the Serbian state was directly involved in the terrorist attack in Banjska or the May 2023 attacks, or even if the Serbian authorities are not ready to cooperate with the Kosovo authorities.

"We call on the Commission, in this context, to freeze the funds given to Serbia under the IPA program, if the findings of the investigation show that the Serbian state was directly involved in these attacks," says the draft resolution, reports Klankosova.tv.

Furthermore, this political group in the European Parliament, in a draft resolution, has expressed concern from the evidence linking criminal groups in the north of Kosovo with the state of Serbia.

"I express deep concern, in this context, that all those who are responsible for the clashes in Banjska may not be brought to justice," the draft resolution says.

On the other hand, Kosovo has been requested to establish the Association of Municipalities with a Serbian Majority "without further delay, in accordance with the Brussels Agreements of 2013 and 2015, the Constitution of Kosovo and the judgment of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo of 2015".

The aggression in Banjska has also been condemned by the group of European Kosnervators and Reformists who come from the center right.

But, in the draft resolution, which consists of nine points, they have requested that Serbia be investigated and held responsible for the actions of the terrorist group.

This group has expressed that it supports the calls for elections in the north of Kosovo "and encourages the authorities to implement all necessary policies to ensure fair, democratic and peaceful elections".

Meanwhile, the fifth draft resolution was sent to the European Parliament by the largest and oldest group in the parliament called "PPE", which is a center-right group.

The EPP has strongly condemned the terrorist incursion in Kosovo and the attack against the Kosovo policemen in Banjska, as it has asked the Kosovar authorities to redouble their efforts "to prevent the smuggling of weapons into the country, which is being done using ambulances and church facilities belonging to the Serbian Orthodox Church in the north of Kosovo".

"We condemn the harboring of the perpetrators of the armed incursion in the north of Kosovo, as well as any propaganda about them, glorification of their actions or political support for them."

"We condemn the ongoing Russian efforts to exert influence over the Western Balkans, and especially in Serbia and Kosovo, exploiting cultural, ethnic and religious divisions and destabilizing pro-democratic forces; we condemn, in this regard, the possible Russian involvement in the Banjska attacks", says the draft resolution of the EPP.

Likewise, the EPP has called on the European Union "to impose restrictive measures on the Serbian leadership, if its involvement in the attack in Banjska is confirmed"./ CNA