Punitive measures against Kosovo were also discussed, Borrell's conversation with Kurti is revealed

The punitive measures that the European Union imposed on Kosovo in July can be removed or increased, but this depends on the flow of the situation on the ground and the dialogue for the normalization of relations with Serbia.

This is what a source in Brussels told Radio Evropa e Lire , who added that on the issue of measures, the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, discussed with the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, during the last round of dialogue on September 14 .

According to the source, Borrell has told Kurt that he is willing to recommend lifting the measures if he reports success at the meeting. But the dialogue round failed without an agreement, since as the European bloc said, Kosovo did not accept an EU proposal for the normalization agreement, therefore there was no movement in terms of measures.

The EU official told REL that the measures against Kosovo are flexible, temporary, they can be removed, but also added, since the 27 member states of the bloc have agreed on them, which do not question the measures. 

The Government of Kosovo was notified of the EU measures on June 28 and they entered into force at the beginning of July. They were imposed due to non-fulfillment of the conditions of the EU and the United States for the extension of the situation in the north of Kosovo. Tensions in this area inhabited by a majority of Serbs increased at the end of May.

The punitive measures include: the temporary suspension of the work of the bodies created on the basis of the Stabilization and Association Agreement, the non-invitation of Kosovo to high-level meetings and the suspension of bilateral visits, except for those that focus on addressing the crisis in the north of Kosovo within of the dialogue framework facilitated by the EU. Also, the measures include stopping the programming of funds for Kosovo from IPA 2024 (Pre-Accession Instruments). Kosovo's proposals within the Investment Framework in the Western Balkans were not submitted for consideration by the board on June 29 and 30.

After the dialogue meeting on September 14, from the statement of the EU's high representative for foreign policy and security, Josep Borrell, it was evident that the facilitators of this process do not think that the conditions for the lifting of punitive measures against Kosovo. This is after Borrell declared that the measures that Kosovo has taken to improve the situation in the north, although welcomed by the bloc, are not enough and are not in line with the demands and expectations of the EU.

Kosovo and the EU in July agreed on some steps aimed at easing the situation in the north. Since then, Prishtina has said it has reduced police presence in and around municipal buildings in northern Kosovo. Also, an administrative instruction has been drawn up that enables the removal of mayors through a petition.

These steps taken by Kosovo in the EU have been evaluated as "actions in the right direction", but not sufficient, because, according to a diplomat with whom REL spoke, they "are neither immediate, nor sufficient and not are fully in line with the requirements" of the European bloc.

Serbia "under monitoring"

After the September 14 meeting, the EU's special envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, on Thursday night informed the ambassadors of the member states in the EU's Political and Security Committee about the talks. Although there, according to diplomatic sources, the call for "a balanced approach when the measures are in question" has been repeated, Lajcak has received support for his work, and according to the same sources, "no one has questioned the measures towards Kosovo". The ambassadors requested that such measures be considered for Serbia as well because there are many countries that believe that Kosovo is not the only one to blame for the tensions in the north.

Sources in the EU have said that the countries of the bloc "are also monitoring the behavior of Serbia" and that "facilitators would prefer if there were no measures at all against either side".

In the EU for a while they mention sanctioning Serbia as "a possibility", but so far the measures have only been imposed on Kosovo. Kosovo has been publicly reprimanded for its actions or inactions regarding the situation in the north, while Serbia has been reprimanded in closed meetings, but not publicly.

Tensions in northern Kosovo rose in May, after the new Albanian mayors elected in April – in polls boycotted by local Serbs – entered municipal buildings with the assistance of the Kosovo Police. The EU and the USA have repeatedly asked Kosovo and Serbia to reduce tensions and to hold new elections in the four northern municipalities.

Meanwhile, during this year, Kosovo and Serbia have verbally reached the Agreement towards normalization and the Annex for its implementation, but the European bloc has said that its implementation has not started. The 11-article agreement does not include the mutual recognition that Kosovo insists on, but requires Kosovo and Serbia to accept each other's documents and symbols, including: passports, diplomas and license plates. The parties also promise to implement the agreements reached earlier in the dialogue process.

After the end of the last round of high-level dialogue in Brussels, Borrell stated that "both parties are in serious violation of their obligations from the dialogue agreement"./REL