Tensions in the North, Osmani: Belgrade is instrumentalizing the Serbs in Kosovo to create an institutional vacuum

The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, accused Serbia of instrumentalizing the local Serbian population in the north of Kosovo, which according to her, "created an institutional vacuum, a general climate of fear and insecurity".

Osmani made these statements during the meeting with the special envoy of Germany for the Western Balkans, Manuel Sarrazin.

The meeting between Osman and Sarrazin comes a day after the clashes between the Kosovo Police and local Serb groups in the north of Kosovo.

The Kosovo Police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the Serbs gathered in front of the buildings of the Municipality of Zveçan, Leposaviq and Zubin Potok, who opposed the entry into the municipal offices of the new Albanian mayors of these municipalities.

"President Osmani has emphasized that the criminal actions in the north, orchestrated by illegal structures supported by Belgrade, are aimed at preventing the new mayors of the municipalities in the north of the country from exercising their duties according to the law and the Constitution and instrumentalizing the local Serbian population to create institutional vacuum, general climate of fear and insecurity", it was said in the announcement of the Kosovo Presidency.

The international factor, led by the United States, has blamed the Government of Kosovo for increasing tensions in the northern municipalities and requested that the authorities in Pristina escalate the situation.

But Osmani, according to the announcement, "has stressed the importance of supporting international allies and continuous coordination with them in efforts for lasting peace, security and stability".

The head of state has reiterated the position that the actions of the Kosovo Police were legitimate. Earlier in the day, Sarrazin also met with the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti.

He emphasized to the media in Pristina that the international community will not allow the Agreement towards the normalization of Kosovo to be rejected for any "stupidity", which Kosovo and Serbia reached in February in Brussels, and then in Ohrid they reached the Annex for implementation her.

Otherwise, in the four municipalities in the north of Kosovo, in the local elections of April 23, four new Albanian mayors were elected, since the Serbian parties did not participate in these extraordinary elections.

The elections were held after the resignation of the leaders from the ranks of Lista Serbe - the largest party of Kosovo Serbs - in November last year. This party abandoned all the institutions of Kosovo, due to the decision of the Government in Pristina to carry out the process of re-registration of cars with illegal Serbian license plates.

The elections were boycotted by the majority Serb population in that area, which now does not accept the results, namely the new mayors.

Participation in the April elections was 3.47 percent of the total number of registered voters./REL