US Embassy in Pristina: No more criminals and unqualified people in Kosovo Govt

 That includes the unqualified individuals at high positions, the Embassy statement said.

It called on Kosovo political leaders to take the issue "seriously" and "stop and reverse the current trend in appointing individuals whose choice seems to serve short-term political aims and not the legitimate needs of Kosovo citizens or the credibility of the state."

The statement will probably come as a surprise to Kosovo leaders who always say Washington is their most powerful and loyal ally.

The Embassy's reaction came months after Pristina rejected to suspend the 100 percent import duties on goods from Serbia and Bosnia despite repeated calls from the international community, including the US.

The rejection keeps the Belgarde - Pristina dialogue on hold since the European Union, which mediates the talks, maintains they can resume after the taxes are lifted.

"We call on the citizens of Kosovo and their leaders to think about what kind of image they want for Kosovo in the world," the embassy statement said.

Adding that in a democracy, "the individuals appointed to the high positions should show an ethical and qualified image to the world," the statement said that "Kosovo's pattern of appointments, unfortunately, shows the opposite."

"The unqualified individuals, those convicted by the judiciary or are under criminal investigations for serious offences, those who have shown the readiness to act with impunity and abuse power, have nothing to do as public servants," the Embassy said.

It added that such appointments "undermine public trust which Kosovo is trying to build, deprive the country of competent and respectable people the most capable of performing governmental duties, and disgrace the victims of the past crimes of such (appointed) individuals."

"That," the statement said, "imperil Kosovo's progress in building its international reputation which would make it a desirable partner to other countries and empower the position of those who could say that Kosovo is not committed to the rule of law."