Borrell condemns violence in Zvecan: Immediately de-escalate the situation

“The violent acts committed against KFOR troops, media, civilians and police are absolutely unacceptable,” Borrell wrote on Twitter.

The EU condemns today’s shocking violence in #Zvecan in the strongest possible terms.

The violent acts committed against @NATO_KFOR troops, media, civilians and police are absolutely unacceptable.

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— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) May 29, 2023

He said the EU expects the parties to act responsibly and find a political solution through the Dialogue immediately.

Borrell told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday that the EU stands firmly behind NATO’s KFOR in fulfilling its mandate in the interest of peace and stability in Kosovo. He said that he spoke to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. “I asked both parties to urgently take measures to de-escalate tensions immediately and unconditionally. And any further unilateral action has to be avoided and calm restored,” he said.

According to Borrell, the Kosovo authorities should suspend the police operation focused on municipality administration buildings in north Kosovo as a first step. He added that the protesters should also stand down while the continues talking to Kurti and Vucic.

“The EU expects the parties to act responsibly and engage immediately in the EU-facilitated dialogue, to find a sustainable solution to the situation in the North that guarantees safety and security for all citizens and pave the way for the implementation of the new agreement on the path to normalization,” Borrell said and added that he is trying to organize an an urgent high-level dialogue meeting. “My deputy secretary general for security and defense Charles Fries is in Kosovo, I asked him to go to Kosovo, he is there, and together with our rule of law mission, EULEX, as the second security responder, will respond to me personally on the situation on the ground,” he said and added that EU member states are being informed of the developments at the political and security committee and are discussing possible measures to be taken if the parties continue to resist proposed steps towards de-escalation.

“The parties are expected to contribute to fruitful regional cooperation and security in Europe and to overcome the legacy of the past. There is no violence, it has been too much violence, we have too much violence in Europe already today, we cannot afford another conflict, I hope my voice will be listened and people will behave accordingly with these requests,” Borrell said.

The EU condemns today’s shocking violence in #Zvecan in the strongest possible terms.

The violent acts committed against @NATO_KFOR troops, media, civilians and police are absolutely unacceptable.

1/2

— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) May 29, 2023

The EU condemns today’s shocking violence in #Zvecan in the strongest possible terms.

The violent acts committed against @NATO_KFOR troops, media, civilians and police are absolutely unacceptable.

1/2