Ulrike Lunacek, Vice-President of the European Parliament, and Rapporteur for Kosovo, told Deutche Welle that problems in Kosovo cannot be resolved by violence and that opposition should wait for the decision of the Constitutional Court.

Deutsche Welle: Opposition in Kosovo announced that it will postpone the protests for 28 November. In the meantime, the security bodies continued searching for the individuals suspected for violence. Among the suspects is also Alibin Kurti. How do you assess the current situation in Kosovo? 

Urlike Lunacek: I said it very openly in the latest discussions with the representatives of the opposition in Kosovo that I very harshly condemn use of violence at the parliament. This is not the way of resolving problems with democratic means. Yesterday I was very happy when I heard that the opposition decided at least to postpone the protest for 28 November. I have requested from the opposition to give up protests until the decision of the Constitutional Court in January. They should return to the Parliament and debate the issue, that Vetevendosje claims to be very important – so the social and economic situation in the country, because the budget of Kosovo state for 2016 was debated at the last session. I hope that reason will return to the opposition parties and they will understand their role of the deputies. They should not block the parliament, but they should try to change things with arguments. I have also stressed to the opposition that use of violence, especially at the parliament, but outside of it as well, affects seriously Kosovo’s position at the European Union. I would not want that at all.

We will discuss EU’s position later, but let us return to the next protests which will be held on 28 November, on the Day of Albania’s Independence. This is a day full of emotions for Albanians also in Kosovo. Some opposition leaders even stated that what has happened so far is nothing compare to what can happen on 28 November. Do you fear escalation of violence?

 I hope that there will be no violence. I hope that it will be understood that conflicts cannot be resolved with violence. Kosovo knows from the time of suffering under Milosevic’s dictatorship, during Mr. Rugova’s time, how peaceful protests look like. I hope that Kosovo will return to that spirit, because violence does not resolve problems. I have to say one more thing: to my knowledge, since 2011, Kosovo laws foresee arresting of the deputies without removal of their immunity by the majority. It is different at Austrian Parliament where removal of the immunity is required. Even though I consider it to be a bit problematic, this regulation exists in Kosovo since 2011.

Opposition in Kosovo has requested from the government to withdraw the signatures from the agreement for the establishment of the Association/Community for Serb-majority municipalities and demarcation of the border between Kosovo and Montenegro. From Brussels perspective, being that it mediates the dialogue with Serbia, is it possible to withdraw these signatures?

 This is certainly difficult. As far as I know, the agreement with Montenegro was reached after the well led negotiations. I am not aware of the details, but I was told that the agreement is all right. This is not part of the dialogue, for which I am more interested. On the other hand, Association/Community for Serb-majority municipalities, with the request of the President Atifete Jahjaga, has to be assessed now by the Constitutional Court and this is legitimate. The agreement was suspended and now we should wait for the decision of the Court. If it decides that two or three things are not in accordance with the Constitution of Kosovo, then it should be renegotiated in the dialogue. But the opposition should wait for the decision and it should not try to change it with new protests. These decisions are made within institutions.

Do you think that the dialogue in general was affected, because it has been frozen for some time now?

I hope not, in the meantime the Constitutional Court should check if these agreements are in accordance with the Constitution of Kosovo.

Ms. Lunacek, how much does violence in Kosovo endanger Kosovo’s getting closer to the European Union?

 It certainly does not facilitate this process. But I told the opposition and the Prime Minister Mustafa that the dialogue has to continue. This is a joint interest. But Serbian position and Serbia’s behavior during Kosovo’s candidature for membership at UNESCO, has not facilitated the dialogue at all. Comparison of the current Kosovo with what happened 11 years ago, when the cultural heritage was attacked, certainly does not stand. Kosovo’s comparison with ISIS is certainly far from good neighborly relations. In general, the situation is not better now than what it was in the past. But Kosovo and Serbia can get closer to the EU only through dialogue. Problems cannot be resolved with violence.

 Have the recent developments affected the process of visa liberalization?

 The Kosovar party has informed me that it will fulfill the final criteria for visa liberalization within the next weeks. I hope that the EU Commission will give the green light to the European Council to open the process of visa liberalization. The final decision has to be made by the Interior Ministers. But let me say very openly, as I said to the opposition: with these sequences of violence at the parliament the process of visa liberalization will be endangered. Because this creates the impression that Kosovars are violent. After the terrorist attacks in Paris, the sequences of violence will definitely not give a positive  presentation of Kosovo. Therefore I have requested and I request from the opposition to give up violence, because this violence could affect the process of visa liberalization. I do not want such a thing, I would want for Kosovars to be able to move freely in the EU next year. I hope that this will happen.