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EU Envoy Urges Serbia and Kosovo to Resume Dialogue to Prevent Violence
The European Union Special Envoy, Miroslav Lajcak, has called on Serbia and Kosovo to reopen discussions on normalizing their relationship in order to avoid a repeat of the recent violence in northern Kosovo. The tensions between Belgrade and Pristina escalated when a group of armed Serbs stormed the village of Banjska and barricaded themselves in a Serbian Orthodox monastery. The clash resulted in the deaths of three attackers and a Kosovar police officer.
Lajcak emphasized the necessity of investigating the attacks in Banjska while stressing the importance of continuing the dialogue. His comments came after a meeting with Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti, which was also attended by the U.S. envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, as well as top diplomats from Germany, France, and Italy.
Lajcak and the Western diplomats condemned the terrorist attack on the Kosovar police and highlighted the urgency of de-escalation and normalization. Kurti reaffirmed that the security of the state and its citizens, borders, and territory is the top priority of his government.
The group later traveled to Belgrade to hold talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Both Serbia and Kosovo aspire to join the EU, but Brussels has made it clear that they must first normalize their ties. In February, the EU presented a 10-point plan to resolve months of political crises in the region. One of the main challenges has been the establishment of the Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities (ASM). While Brussels and Washington urge Kosovo to implement this association, Pristina fears that it would lead to the creation of a Serb-ruled entity similar to Republika Srpska in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Lajcak urged Kosovo to move forward with the establishment of the ASM without delay, as he emphasized that progress on Kosovo’s European path depends on it. In July, the EU suspended funding for certain projects and halted visits by top diplomats to Kosovo due to their failure to advance the ASM plan.
Meanwhile, in Belgrade, Lajcak condemned the terrorist attack on the Kosovar police and demanded Serbia’s full cooperation in bringing the perpetrators to justice. Serbia has denied any involvement in the attack, attributing it to ethnic Serbs in Kosovo. Milan Radoicic, an ally of Vucic, admitted to organizing and participating in the incident and was briefly detained in Serbia.
After the meeting, Vucic expressed optimism about finding a way out of the crisis and announced upcoming important meetings in Brussels. However, it remains unclear when the next round of discussions between Kurti and Vucic will take place.
Given the recent escalation, Kosovo has called on Europe to impose sanctions on Serbia, accusing them of the September 24 attack. Kosovo also requested increased security measures from Western powers to address concerns about the potential presence of Serb military forces along its border. In response, NATO has reinforced its KFOR troop presence with additional troops from the UK and Romania.
The situation in the region remains tense, and the resumption of dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo is crucial to prevent further violence and achieve lasting stability.
