UNMIK chief urges restraint in Belgrade

Speaking during her meetings in Belgrade, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative said that the situation in Kosovo needs to de-escalate urgently with both Belgrade and Pristina returning to their political dialogue in good faith.

Ziadeh also called for transparency in investigations and accountability regarding the September 24 armed incident in Banjska, the press release said.

A Serbian government press release quoted Prime Minister Ana Brnabic as telling the UNMIK chief that the “tragic events were tendentiously used and abused by representatives of the interim institutions of self-government and certain media in Pristina for the purpose of spreading disinformation and half-truths”.

Brnabic said that Belgrade was constantly and persistently warning of brutality, violence and discrimination against the Kosovo Serbs and other non-Albanians, adding the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM) had not been formed even though it was part of the 2013 Brussels Agreement.

“Ziadeh highlighted that the most important thing is that Serbia is committed to peace, stability and dialogue, which remains the most important tool in reaching a sustainable solution in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija,” the government press release said.