UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 26, 2023

Albanian Language Media:

Scholz, Macron and Meloni to meet Kurti then Vucic, meeting starts at 14:00 (Telegrafi)
Osmani in Iowa: September 24 attack was aimed at annexing north of Kosovo (media)
Internationals express support for KSF, condemn attack in Banjska (media)
Kosovo agreed to European “new plan” on Saturday; Vucic and Kurti expected to meet at Paris Peace Forum and sanctions lifted after the meeting (Albanian Post)
Gervalla meets U.S. Congressman Torres (media)
Citaku: U.S. always supported an Association in line with Constitution (media)
Nitaj: Implementation of French-German plan today is a patriotic duty (Klan Kosova)
Hehir: Vucic’s appeasement does not end in Mitrovica (KTV)
“No Republika Srpska in Kosovo”; Albanians protest in Brussels (Telegrafi)
Over €1 billion sent by diaspora to Kosovo this year (Kallxo)
Kurti in Athens meets leaders of companies from energy field (media)
Kosovo Judicial Council publishes decision to dismiss Stefanovic (Klan Kosova)

Serbian Language Media:

Vucic: Guler's visit extremely significant for peace, stability in Balkans (Tanjug)
SNF: Albanisation of Serbian municipality at stake in Caglavica (Radio KIM)
One person interviewed in relation to old Orthodox cemetery desecration, case goes in regular procedure (Tanjug)
Montenegrin Minister of Justice refused to extradite Serbian citizen Pristina accused of alleged war crimes (Tanjug)
Brnabic speaks about Kosovo, Serbia's EU perspective in Brussels (Tanjug)
Most Serbian citizens see China as friendly (N1)
Stoltenberg in an official visit to Serbia in November (N1, RFE)
EU Office in Kosovo: We are closely following the case of Abbot Fotije's deportation (Kosovo Online)
Serbs upon arrests sent to detention in 90 percent of cases (Kosovo Online)
Church of Saint Gabriel in Osojane robbed (Radio Gorazdevac)
Djuric: Support to KSF transformation into army encourages extremism of Pristina government (Kosovo Online, social media)

International:

Feuding Serbia and Kosovo leaders set for talks Thursday on the sidelines of an EU summit (AP)
Serbian List gets new leadership, more Kosovo Serb parties are emerging (EWB)
Montenegro Refuses to Extradite War Crime Suspect to Kosovo (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media

Scholz, Macron and Meloni to meet Kurti then Vucic, meeting starts at 14:00 (Telegrafi)

EU spokesperson Peter Stano told the news website today that the leaders of Germany, France and Italy will meet with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti today at 14:00, followed by a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. “The meetings are scheduled to start at 14:00. First, Prime Minister Kurti will meet with EU High Representative Josep Borrell and envoy Miroslav Lajcak, and the leaders of Germany, France and Italy,” Stano said.

Stano also said that around 14:30 the EU leaders will meet Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Osmani in Iowa: September 24 attack was aimed at annexing north of Kosovo (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, said during her visit to the U.S., that the September 24 attack in Banjska was aimed at annexing the north of Kosovo. “We never characterised these as tensions between Kosovo and Serbia because we never attacked anyone. We are in our own home, and we are being attacked. What happened on September 24 was the culmination of a series of acts of aggression that Serbia was committing against the people of Kosovo within our territory and that day it was a number of terrorist groups that entered Kosovo with large caches of weapons, military-grade weapons, that were planning to annex the north of Kosovo. Our police acted very professionally and thwarted the act of aggression in the very first minutes of it. But if we were not so effective in the very beginning, obviously they would have been effective in getting closer and closer within the north of Kosovo and annexing a part of our territory. Of course then we would be forced to respond and that would destabilise not only Kosovo but the rest of the region. It was a plan to destabilise all of the Western Balkans and take us back to the 1990s, which were full of violence. Unfortunately this is what Serbia wants. It is still led by the mindset of the 1990s. They want to grab territory from their neighbours, they want to cause more suffering and war. We want to defend our hard-won freedom, we want to defend peace and stability in our country and beyond,” Osmani said.

Internationals express support for KSF, condemn attack in Banjska (media)

Kosovo’s Ministry of Defence and the Kosovo Security Force organised today the annual international conference “KSF and partners 2023”. Ekonomia Online notes that international partners expressed support for the KSF and unanimously condemned the terrorist attack in Banjska.

Defence Minister, Ejup Maqedonci, commenting on the Banjska attack, said that it was not successful thanks to the intervention of Kosovo Police. He said that such attacks can happen again, and that Serbia is conducting military drills near the border with Kosovo. “The role of our partners in this regard is not only important but also fundamental … Serbian groups tried to take territory in the north of the country. Police and its units, in cooperation with our partners, showed a high level of professionalism. Serbia has always had hegemonistic interests,” he argued.

Maqedonci also said that “Kosovo will never be a threat to anyone, but we will be partners and over the years we have implemented a real transformation. The budget for the KSF has increased by 110 percent. In the last two years, we have invested in the armament system, and we took part in military drills. KSF also took part in training and peace operations in the Middle East”.

KSF Commander, Bashkim Jashari, said the KSF would not be where it is without the support of allied countries with training. He said that the recent event in Banjska is a clear message that the KSF should always be prepared for such attacks.

Turkish Ambassador to Kosovo, Sabri Tunc Angili, said his country has supported the KSF with €16 million. “Turkey is interested in maintaining stability throughout the country. These ties determine our policies and connections to strengthen stability in the region and beyond. I also want to thank your search and rescue team for their aid after the earthquake in Turkey. Over the years, Turkey has supported the KSF with €16 million,” he said.

U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, reiterated his country’s support for the transformation of the Kosovo Security Force. “The U.S. always remains committed to supporting the transformation of the KSF. In this context, one of our priorities is to support the ten-year transformation of the KSF. We are also committed to providing aid worth millions of euros,” he said.

Klan Kosova highlights in its coverage that Hovenier praised the Kosovo Security Force for not being provoked and showing professional maturity during the September 24 attack in Banjska. “I want to say that during the September 24 attack on Kosovo’s sovereignty by an armed paramilitary group, the Kosovo Security Force and Ministry of Defence showed professional maturity and patience by further heightening their reputation as credible partners and avoiding provocations that could have resulted in further escalation,” Hovenier said. “Nothing would have been more problematic in our continuous efforts to work together in helping the Kosovo Security Force and seeing this process [transformation] conclude successfully.”

The news website also quotes German Ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, as saying that “Germany remains a strong and reliable partner of Kosovo since independence and in this spirit we fully support the transformation process of the Kosovo Security Force”. He also said that Germany will continue to further the cooperation between its Ministry of Defence and the KSF, through joint drills. “Germany will continue to support the KSF. I want to join the previous speakers and highlight the strategic objective that one day Kosovo becomes a member of the NATO family,” he said.

Kosovo agreed to European “new plan” on Saturday; Vucic and Kurti expected to meet at Paris Peace Forum and sanctions lifted after the meeting (Albanian Post)

In November there will be many contradictory statements by Kosovo Government officials about what is happening in the dialogue and what is “the new plan” of the European Union, but this will be done only for internal consumption, because according to international sources involved in the talks, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has agreed to the new plan last Saturday.

As Kosovo has agreed to proceed with a draft statute for the Association of Serb-majority municipalities in November, Albanian Post learns that Serbia has agreed to do something on the point of recognizing passports.

In November there will be a series of more intensive meetings, but the most important meeting will be on November 10-11 at the Paris Peace Forum. At the Forum, because of the full agreement to move forward, Kosovo will have the penalty measures lifted, thus sending the signal of respecting the requests of the international community.

Several meetings will be held until the end of November which will serve more as shock absorbers for the political electorates, both by Kurti in Kosovo and Vucic in Serbia.

The agreement and lifting of sanctions against Kosovo on the one hand will be followed with other developments, such as the return of Kosovo Serbs to the institutions, at least on some levels, in order to enable the announcement of elections.

The formal restructuring of the Serbian List with a new leader was made in the function of this party declaring that they are in favour of new elections and that they will take part in the process.

There are ongoing discussions on how to find a middle ground to go to elections, but if everything goes to plan elections are expected to be announced around late November.

Albanian Post also learns that Brussels and Washington are very satisfied with the progress made in the dialogue and the way forward.

Gervalla meets U.S. Congressman Torres (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla-Schwarz, met on Wednesday with U.S. Congressman Ritchie Torres, and wrote after the meeting that they “addressed regional developments, Serbia's aggression against Kosova and stressed the need for action against Vucic’s regime to prevent further escalation. Also discussed our NATO membership aspirations.”

Torres wrote in a post on X: “As the Congressman for the Bronx, which is home to thousands of Albanians from Kosovo, I had a productive meeting with Foreign Minister Gervalla about the aggression Kosovo has been increasingly facing from Serbia in the north. I stand with Kosovo, which is a success story of democracy in the Western Balkans and an unwavering ally of the United States.”

Citaku: U.S. always supported an Association in line with Constitution (media)

Deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Vlora Citaku, said in a Facebook post today that the United States have always supported an Association of Serb-majority municipalities in line with the Constitution of Kosovo. “You can find the evidence with a quick search on the internet. The U.S. are consistent, Albin Kurti is not. Over a decade lost in the pond of poison and hatred which was mercilessly spread by Vetevendosje exponents against anyone who thought differently,” Citaku wrote.

Nitaj: Implementation of French-German plan today is a patriotic duty (Klan Kosova)

Secretary General of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Muharrem Nitaj, said today that the immediate implementation of the French-German plan today is a patriotic duty. “This could be the last chance for Kosovo to not deviate from the right track … It can secure itself only by being on the same lines with the United States and the European Union,” Nitaj wrote in a Facebook post.

Hehir: Vucic’s appeasement does not end in Mitrovica (KTV)

Reader in international relations at the University of Westminster, Aidan Hehir, said in an interview with the TV station on Wednesday, that there should be interest about the “big strategic” mistakes that the west is making in Kosovo because there will be highly negative implications for security in Europe.

According to Hehir, “the appeasement of Vucic does not end in Mitrovica”. “It will have a domino effect in Republika Srpska, it will have a domino effect in Montenegro, and it could have a domino effect in Macedonia, Croatia, and all the countries of the Balkans, and then spread even wider. What the west is following is a strategy with fundamental flaws,” he argued.

Asked to comment on his statement that the groups that attacked in Banjska were trained in Humvee vehicles that the U.S. donated to Serbia, Hehir said: “well I think it is a fact that they were donated, and there were military drills with Serbia. U.S. Ambassador to Serbia, Chris Hill, posted a video where he is seen observing these drills. Their military cooperation is apparent to all and I think that in the coming years people will look at this and say: can you believe what people were doing with Vucic”.

Commenting on Serbian claims about the ethnic cleansing of Serbs in Kosovo, Hehir said that there are hundreds of human rights organisations in the world and that none of them has ever said that there is ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. “They all say that bad things are happening to Serbs, that there is discrimination, vandalism against Serbian churches, but there is no reference about ethnic cleansing,” he said.

Hehir also said that no one in the EU or Washington does not publicly criticise heads of Serbian institutions about their claims for ethnic cleansing. “Why don’t they say: listen, there is no evidence about this. You cannot accuse Kosovo of ethnic cleansing when it is not happening. Why did not Borrell or Lajcak or any of the others ever say: we looked into this and it is not happening – we think that the Kosovo Serbs should be given more rights because there is evidence that there are bad things happening and they must stop, but there is no ethnic cleansing,” he argued.

“No Republika Srpska in Kosovo”; Albanians protest in Brussels (Telegrafi)

The news website reports that Albanians living in Brussels protested on Wednesday in front of the building of the European Commission, calling on the EU to remove the penalty measures against Kosovo and to impose sanctions on Serbia. “No Republika Srpska in Kosovo”, “Lajcak go home”, “United we stand”, “the Association is not the way” were written on some of the banners of protesters. One of the protesters told the news website: “If needed we will organise more protests. We have also sent an open letter to European officials, a petition to the Parliament, and we are working on a network that will lobby for Kosovo”.

Over €1 billion sent by diaspora to Kosovo this year (Kallxo)

The Central Bank of Kosovo said today that the amount of funds sent by the diaspora to Kosovo this year, known as remittances, until September, has reached €1 billion, and this marks an 11 percent increase compared to the same period from last year. According to the statistics report on remittances and other financial institutions for September this year, the amount of remittances only for the month of September was €116 million. “According to the report, the biggest share of remittances came through non-banking financial institutions with 57.4 percent, other channels 24.4 percent and banks 18.2 percent,” the statement notes. The Central Bank also noted that 70 percent of remittances from the diaspora come from EU countries, with Germany at 38.1 percent, Switzerland 17.6 percent, and also the U.S. at 7.5 percent.

Kurti in Athens meets leaders of companies from energy field (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, during his stay in Athens, met on Wednesday with leaders of companies from the energy field. “In separate meetings with: Evangelos Mytilineos, Head of the Board of Directors of Mytilineos Holdings, Philipp Kunze, Managing Director of BayWa, Georgios Peristeris, Head of the Board of Directors and Managing Director, GEK Terna Group, Dimitris Papalexopoulos of TITAN Cement Group, as and Konstantinos Mavros, the CEO of PPC Renewables, the Prime Minister expressed the Government’s intention to encourage private investments and to create a favourable investment climate, which are also key drivers for economic growth. Prime Minister Kurti emphasised the elements that make Kosovo an attractive destination for investors, such as its proximity to European markets, a skilled workforce, and a strong regulatory framework. Investment opportunities in the energy sector were particularly emphasised, where the Prime Minister announced the Government’s 10-year plan for the diversification of energy resources with the construction of 1,200MW of new generating capacity from solar and wind technology, where he emphasised the current auction announced from the Ministry of Economy for the construction of 100MW from solar technology, this project which paves the way for further renewable energy projects in Kosovo, such as the wind auction of 150MW in non-specific locations that is expected to be announced next year, as part of steps taken by the Government in achieving the objectives defined in the Energy Strategy of the Republic of Kosovo,” a press release issued by Kurti’s office notes.

Serbian Language Media

Vucic: Guler's visit extremely significant for peace, stability in Balkans (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler's visit to Serbia was extremely significant and would make an additional contribution to the very important role the two countries had when it comes to preserving peace and stability across the Balkans, Tanjug news agency reports.

"We are committed to further advancement of overall bilateral cooperation and continued political dialogue, which are indicators of the highest level of the relations between the two countries in contemporary history", Vucic wrote in a post on his official Instagram account after a meeting with Guler.

He noted that Belgrade was fully committed to dialogue with Pristina but noted that ensuring security to Serbs in Kosovo and implementation of all commitments from agreements reached to date without further delay was a priority at this time.

"I look forward to the upcoming visit to Belgrade by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as it is an ideal opportunity to further strengthen mutual ties and cooperation", Vucic said.

SNF: Albanisation of Serbian municipality at stake in Caglavica (Radio KIM)

Serbian National Forum (SNF) said that “an Albanisation of Serbian municipality” is at stake in Caglavica, with, as they said, silent approval of Gracanica municipal authorities, Radio KIM reports.

SNF further said “that in the centre of Caglavica an usurpation of municipal property is taking place, same as construction of houses on agricultural land – without permits, by newly arrived Albanians”.

They also said that “mayor of Gracanica, Ljiljana Subaric and her institutions remain silent for months”.

“Despite being called to intervene for ‘thousand’ times, they are silent, they do not say who issued permits for construction of the Albanian settlement of 30 houses in Caglavica? And all this in the Serbian municipality of Gracanica, whose task is to prevent an Albanisation of its own territory, so that it does not become Albanian in the future”, reads the statement of SNF.

They added those occurrences were pointed out over the previous months many times, but that municipal authorities in Gracanica “simulate intervention on the ground and give a wink to usurpers to continue construction”.

“Although since May this year up to date, citizens requested several times for illegal construction to be halted, inspection came to the spot several times and gave a wink to continue construction. Result of the intervention by institutions – the house is built, and the doors and windows placed. And the mayor and her institutions remain silent. The same goes with usurper of the municipal land in the centre of Caglavica. Citizens report, inspection comes to the spot, gives a wink and leaves. From (the time of) reporting works on foundation for the fence, the inspection came several times (same as in the case of the house) and usurper yesterday continued the works and placed the fence”, the statement reads.

SNF also termed the silence about usurpation of the municipal land and illegal construction in Caglavica “as Serbian List crime”, adding that “this is something similar to Brezovica”.

One person interviewed in relation to old Orthodox cemetery desecration, case goes in regular procedure (Tanjug)

One person was interviewed in relation to the desecration of an old Orthodox cemetery in Mitrovica North, and by decision of the prosecutor the case goes in regular procedure, Tanjug news agency reports citing Kosovo police.

It was confirmed that police received reports from citizens that during the works carried out, as it said “by one company”, a number of tombstones were damaged. The police also said that one male, resident of Kosovo, was interviewed as suspect and that the case goes in regular procedure.

Montenegrin Minister of Justice refused to extradite Serbian citizen Pristina accused of alleged war crimes (Tanjug)

Montenegrin Minister of Justice Marko Kovac refused request from Pristina to extradite Serbian citizen Momcilo Vukotic (61) accused of allegedly committing war crimes against civilian population in Kosovo, and who was arrested in Montenegro and sent to “extradite detention”, Tanjug news agency reports citing RTCG portal.

Referring to its sources in the Ministry of Justice, the portal wrote the court found “that legal conditions for extradition were fulfilled”, but that Minister Kovac thinks the Article 3 of the European Convention of Human Rights and Basic Freedoms have been violated.

“Kosovo Special Prosecution in its decision to launch an investigation did not specify what acts Vukotic allegedly committed, and that are part of the criminal acts, saying only that after 24 years a witness allegedly appeared who recognized his photo in some album”, sources from the Ministry of Justice said.

Brnabic speaks about Kosovo, Serbia's EU perspective in Brussels (Tanjug)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said on Thursday she had informed the attendees of a European Policy Centre briefing in Brussels of the latest developments in Kosovo and the overall security situation in the past two years.

"I began my working day in Brussels, where I held a briefing at the European Policy Centre on EU membership in the new era and Serbia's perspective. I informed the numerous members of civil society and NGOs in Brussels of Serbia's European path and current reforms. I also informed everyone in detail of the latest developments in Kosovo as well as the overall security situation in the past two years. Violence and repression against Serbs and other non-Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija are unacceptable", Brnabic wrote in an Instagram post.

Most Serbian citizens see China as friendly (N1)

A majority of Serbian citizens see China as a friendly country and President Aleksandar Vucic as the politician promoting relations with Beijing, a poll by the Institute for European Affairs and Smart Plus Research showed, N1 reports.

According to the poll, 75 percent of Serbian citizens think China is friendly and 64 percent believe Serbia-China relations will get better. It showed that 42 percent of the polled have a positive view of social order in China with 72 percent of young people supporting Chinese investments in Serbia. Just 3.8 percent said they had a negative view of relations with China.

The respondents said their main sources of information about China-Serbia relations are TV (30.2 percent), Internet (27.6 percent) and social networks. Almost half (49.7 percent) said China was the country that provided the most aid to Serbia during the COVID pandemic with just 14.3 percent saying most of the aid came from the European Union and 4.7 percent saying Russia.

Two thirds of the polled support Chinese investments and 16.9 percent said those investments are not welcome.

Stoltenberg in an official visit to Serbia in November (N1, RFE)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is coming to Serbia in November for an official visit, N1 learns. The exact date of Stoltenberg's visit is not known.

The Secretary General of NATO will arrive on November 19 for an official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH confirmed for Radio Free Europe. The reason for his arrival in Bosnia and Herzegovina has not been specified.

A day later, on November 20, the head of NATO will meet with officials of Bosnia and Herzegovina, reported N1.

EU Office in Kosovo: We are closely following the case of Abbot Fotije's deportation (Kosovo Online)

We are closely following the case of the recent deportation of the Abbot of Devine Vode Monastery, Father Fotije, the EU Office in Kosovo stated when asked by Kosovo Online to comment on the mentioned case.

According to Kosovo Online, the EU Office response stated that "this case requires a closer examination and requires full compliance with Kosovo's domestic legislation and relevant international conventions on human rights that are directly applicable in Kosovo in accordance with the Constitution".

"The EU in Kosovo is closely following the case of the recent deportation of the abbot of the Devina Voda monastery in the municipality of Zvecan, Father Fotije, a citizen of North Macedonia," the Mission stated.

On October 20, the abbot of Devina Voda monastery near Zvecan, Father Fotije, was deported from Kosovo to North Macedonia, following an urgent procedure by the Kosovo police, without any explanation, recalled portal Kosovo Online.

Serbs upon arrests sent to detention in 90 percent of cases (Kosovo Online)

Kosovo Online portal writes today that international human rights standards envisage detention on remand to be an exception, that prosecutors and judiciary should treat it as the last measure and not render it routinely, however, when it comes to the Serbs arrested in Kosovo the data show that those principles are not respected.

The portal adds that since the second mandate of Albin Kurti as Kosovo Prime Minister, from March 22, 2021, Kosovo courts, in cases of 50 Serbs arrested under charges of alleged war crimes and participation in protests, 45 of them were sent to detention, respectively 90 percent.

The detention on remand was not made only in two cases, when it was concluded that a change of identity occurred and in the case of three workers of a hotel in Banjska, arrested without grounds following events on September 24.

All other Serbs arrested over the last two and a half years under above mentioned accusations were sent to detention, the portal recalled.

Church of Saint Gabriel in Osojane robbed (Radio Gorazdevac)

In the early hours this morning, four masked persons robbed the Church of Saint Archangel Gabriel in a Serb-returnee village Osojane, in Istok municipality, Radio Gorazdevac reports.

Priest Dalibor Kojic told the Radio that perpetrators stole copper gutters and small amounts of copper coins.

“This night, around 2 a.m., four masked persons came to the church’s yard, took three copper gutters off the church, broke inside, ransacked it and took away metal coins, because there was no cash in there. Police opened the investigation and made a report. Given that they were masked and professional, I can’t doubt who could do it. At around 7.20 this morning, I saw that someone was in the church, I called the police and they came around 8.30”, the priest told Radio Gorazdevac.

Kosovo police Pec region spokesperson Fadil Gashi said that the priest reported the case and that the investigative unit went to the spot, adding the act was qualified as “theft”.

Office for Kosovo and Metohija reacting to the robbery of a church in Osojane, said it was about “systematic attempt to eradicate and desecrate everything Serbian in Kosovo”, adding it was particularly concerning that this latest incident comes after illegal deportation of Abbot of Devine Vode Monastery, Father Fotije and digging up an old Orthodox cemetery in Mitrovica North.

The Office accused Pristina authorities of being a direct accomplice in the incidents targeting the Serb community in Kosovo, and international community of being a silent observer in the attempt of expelling Serbs from their places, as it does nothing to prevent crimes affecting them.

Djuric: Support to KSF transformation into army encourages extremism of Pristina government (Kosovo Online, social media)

Serbian Ambassador to US, Marko Djuric reacted in a post on X, formerly Twitter, to the statement of US Ambassador in Pristina Jeffrey Hovenier on US support to transformation of KSF into army, saying that such support does not contribute to dialogue, reducing tensions and normalisation of relations.

“Support for KSF transformation, phased or immediate, into a heavily armed military force, does not contribute to the dialogue process, defusing tensions or normalising relations in our region. Furthermore, KSF transformation into a standing army runs directly against UNSC R1244 and the Kumanovo Military-Technical agreement. All this aside, supporting KSF transformation in this political moment in Kosovo* only empowers and rewards an extreme government in Pristina driven by an ethno-nationalist agenda, under whose watch 11% of Kosovo Serbs already left Kosovo.

Dialogue remains the only way forward, and for it to have any success we should not further encourage those who undermine it blatantly”, Djuric wrote in a post.

International

Feuding Serbia and Kosovo leaders set for talks Thursday on the sidelines of an EU summit (AP)

The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo have been invited to meet with top European Union officials on Thursday to try to breathe life into talks aimed at normalising their relations, just as the 27-nation bloc’s leaders gather in Brussels for a two-day summit.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti are not expected to meet face to face, but the aim is to push forward with new “proposals and ideas” floated in exploratory talks last weekend, said Peter Stano, spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

Fears are high of a resumption of the violence that has characterised their ties since Kosovo unilaterally broke away from Serbia in 2008. Belgrade has never recognized the move. The EU, through Borrell, has supervised a “dialogue” between them to get things back on track.

The meetings, if they proceed, could be an important step forward, after about 30 Serb gunmen crossed into northern Kosovo on Sept. 24, killing a police officer and setting up barricades before launching an hours-long gun battle with Kosovo police. Three gunmen were killed.