Debate: Recent developments in the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue, including the situation in the northern municipalities in Kosovo
Date: TUESDAY, 3 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Janez Lenarčič
Language: EN

The scale of the operation is unprecedented. The quantity of confiscated weapons is massive. And this raises serious concerns. This is a strong alarm bell that the situation in the north of Kosovo is extremely serious. Immediately on that Sunday, High Representative Vice-President Borell called Prime Minister Kurti and President Vucic and issued a statement and a press release where he condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack. He also calls for restoring calm and stability. For the assailants to surrender immediately and for the 49 pilgrims at the Banjska Monastery to be able to leave safely. The EU’s rule of law mission in Kosovo, EULEX, arrived at the scene rapidly and in line with its mandate, monitored the police operation and escorted the pilgrims safely out of Kosovo. The EU is closely following the ongoing investigations and expects that the perpetrators be brought to justice and Serbia to fully cooperate, including in preventing smuggling through the administrative boundary line. In parallel to the investigations, it is important that both Kosovo and Serbia refrain from any action that could further escalate the situation.  In this context, the rhetoric from Belgrade in relation to 24 September is very concerning, as well as the manner in which the day of mourning was observed. What is already clear at this stage is that this operation indicates a serious military build-up and constitutes a major escalation which goes against the EU’s repeated calls for de-escalation in the north of Kosovo. In its statement of 3 June, the EU called on both parties to take concrete measures to de-escalate. This was reiterated in the EU’s statement of 19 September. Swift de-escalation is more urgent than ever. And the perpetrators need to be brought to justice. The attack should not serve as an excuse to divert attention from the dialogue on the normalisation.  We are also concerned about the Serbian military build-up in the south of Serbia. Swiftly holding early local elections in the north of Kosovo remains crucial to help defuse the tensions. The EU calls on all political actors at all levels of governance, in both Kosovo and Serbia, to engage constructively in the process leading to early local elections in the north of Kosovo, to avoid further escalatory steps and support progress in the EU facilitated dialogue. We are at a crucial junction in the EU facilitated dialogue. Earlier this year, Kosovo and Serbia reached an agreement on the path to normalisation, which offers a clear platform for normalising their relations. The obligations stemming from this agreement remain valid and binding. The negotiations phase ended in March. The focus now must be on implementation and on taking the process of normalisation forward. At the last high-level dialogue on 14 September, neither party demonstrated a genuine commitment to advance the normalisation process, despite continued intense efforts by the European Union. Therefore, both are in violation of their dialogue obligations. They must act with restraint and return to the implementation of their respective dialogue commitments and seriously commit to the normalisation process. And let me remind the parties that their European paths go through the dialogue and normalisation. Further escalation will have a very adverse impact on their European paths, as well as for the stability and security of the Western Balkans region.