US ambassador calls out Pristina authorities for 'unnecessarily raising ethnic tensions'

Hovenier said in a statement that the US Government is deeply concerned about recent actions "unnecessarily raising ethnic tensions and as a consequence limit the options of the United States to serve as an effective advocate for Kosovo in the international arena.”

Among these operations carried out by the Kosovo Police at the offices of Serbia-administrated institutions in Dragash, Peje/Pec, Istog/IStok, and in Kline/Klina, as well as the actions at the premises of the NGO "Center for Peace and Tolerance" in Pristina.

"We are also concerned Kosovo Police actions today to seize Serbian Dinar and the vehicle transporting it to distribute social benefit payments from Serbia,” the ambassador said in a statement.

Hovenier did not specify where exactly the money was seized, or which specific case it was.

On the other hand, the official Belgrade came out in the early afternoon with the allegations that the workers of the Post of Serbia in Gorazdevac were detained on Sunday “in order to prevent the payment of pensions to the locals,” while the media unofficially reported that the money that the workers were transporting was also confiscated. .

Hovenier expects the Kosovo authorities to ensure that the individuals to whom these social assistance payments are intended receive them without delay.

The US ambassador stressed it was the responsibility of the Government of Kosovo to promote the vision set forth at its founding and enshrined in its Declaration of Independence and Constitution:

“One of a fully multi-ethnic democracy that is responsive to the concerns of all of its citizens.”

On the other hand, he said that issues related to the Serbia-supported structures in Kosovo should be dealt with through the EU-facilitated dialogue.

The ambassador once again repeated the request - that Pristina postpone the enforcement of the amended Regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo on cash operations until "satisfactory procedures in line with European standards are in place and until the population has been sufficiently informed about how the transition of their benefits will proceed.”