Western Politicians Urge New Approach to Ease Kosovo-Serbia Tensions: CNBC Indonesia News

Tommy Patrio Sorong, CNBC Indonesia

Wednesday, 09/08/2023 21:50 WIB

Foto: (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – A group of Western politicians wrote to the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) urging a different approach to easing tensions between Kosovo and Serbia. This is because there have been no effective results from the efforts of the two Western powers to ease tensions.

In a letter reviewed by The Guardian, politicians criticized the lack of pressure exerted on Serbia and said EU-facilitated dialogue had not produced positive results. The letter also reinforced Kosovo’s fears that the EU and US had sided with the Serbian leadership.

This letter was written in the wake of tensions over a mayoral election in Kosovo, which Pristina said had been disrupted by ethnic Serb voters. The Prime Minister of Kosovo even accused the masses of being controlled by the Serbian government.

In turn, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, denounced the election as illegitimate. He also accused Kosovo of refusing to dialogue.

“Attempts to interfere with democratic elections in Kosovo by Serbia must be openly criticized as foreign interference with concrete measures implemented to hold them accountable if they continue to undermine free and fair elections,” the letter said, Wednesday (9/8/2023) .

“The current approach is not working. We will ask the international community to learn from our past and ensure we do not adopt a Belgrade-centric policy for the Balkans.”

The letter later also said there was a “lack of pressure on Serbia” following the detention of three Kosovo police officers by Serbian authorities and the attack on KFOR troops, which are installed by NATO in the country.

“That highlights the current lack of fairness in dealing with such flash points.”

Regarding this letter, a spokesperson for the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, Josep Borrell, confirmed that it had just received the communiqué but stated that it did not represent member states.

The official pointed out that the letter came from 56 MPs among thousands of MPs, with the foreign policies set by the 27 governments in the bloc unanimously.

“The EU is a neutral facilitator in the dialogue on normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia,” he said.

“The EU is currently closely monitoring Serbia’s compliance with EU requests and stands ready to take action if it does not comply with these requests.”

Kosovo, which is mostly inhabited by Albanians, broke away from Serbia in 1999 and declared independence in 2008. But Serbia has not recognized the move and sees its former province as part of its territory.

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