UK envoy Peach: Serbia must investigate election irregularities

Belgrade should act in accordance with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which in its preliminary report made specific remarks on the election process, said Stuart Peach who visited Croatia for the fifth time since he was appointed the prime minister's special envoy in late 2021.

Lord Peach expressed absolute support for reconciliation efforts between Serbia and Kosovo, condemning unreservedly the armed conflict near the village of Banjska in the north of Kosovo, in which Serbian citizens attacked Kosovo police.
He said that was a “serious incident,” emphasizing the full cooperation on the investigation by Kosovo authorities, which he “also pointed out during a visit to Belgrade.”

He added that the quantity of arms discovered could have had a destabilizing impact in Kosovo, commending the Kosovo police for behaving professionally and in a coordinated fashion.

Normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina will benefit the citizens of both states, and also the wider region, including Croatia, and the future of Kosovo is that of a "multiethnic republic," said Lord Peach.

As for Montenegro and its new government, which has the support of pro-Russian and pro-Serb parties, Peach said that it had taken some very positive steps in the rule of law reform and judicial appointments, which was recognized by the UK and the EU.

The government of Montenegro should be encouraged to maintain or even accelerate this trajectory towards the European Union, said Lord Peach, underscoring the importance of Montenegro as a NATO ally.