• Kurti accepts U.S. Ambassador's call for 48-hour postponement of fines (media)
• EU’s Borrell Blames Kosovo for Fresh Licence Plates Stalemate (BIRN)
• Kurti’s remarks to the media after meetings in Brussels (media)
• Osmani: Borrell was biased; accommodated the aggressor (media)
• EU responds to Kurti: We haven’t given up on normalisation agreement (media)
• U.S. State Department: Parties to refrain from provocative steps (Klan Kosova)
• Bajrami: Kosovo proposed to suspend further phases of plate conversion (media)
• NATO SG: Disappointed that licence plate dispute wasn’t solved (media)
• UNMIK chief Ziadeh calls for calm and commitment to dialogue (media)
• Abbott: Immediate need to make progress on a normalisation agreement (media)
• Svecla: Police ready to ensure and security throughout Kosovo (media)
• Haradinaj: Decision on licence plates must be suspended (media)
• Palokaj: With this pace, dialogue can last 11 years (Koha)
• Floods Cause Six Deaths in Montenegro, Albania, Serbia (BIRN)

Kurti accepts U.S. Ambassador's call for 48-hour postponement of fines (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Monday night that he has accepted U.S. Ambassador Jeff Hovenier’s request for a 48-hour postponement on imposition of fines for illegal car plates. “I thank Ambassador Hovenier for his commitment and engagement. I accept his request for a 48-hour postponement on imposition of fines for illegal ‘KM’ (and other) car plates. I am happy to work with the US and the EU to find a solution during the next two days,” Kurti wrote on Twitter.

U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeff Hovenier, said in a statement on Monday night that “the United States is concerned that the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia were unable to reach agreement today on a solution to the current crisis in Kosovo. We have asked the Government of Kosovo to postpone for 48 hours the imposition of fines to allow the EU and the United States to further engage the parties to find a solution.”

EU’s Borrell Blames Kosovo for Fresh Licence Plates Stalemate (BIRN)

Serbia accepted an EU proposal to stop issuing licence plates for Serbs living in northern Kosovo but Kosovo did not agree to halt the process of re-registration existing licence plates, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told media after meeting Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti in Brussels.

Borrell said after the meetings that, “after many hours of discussion, the two parties did not agree to a solution today”, and added that, “there is an important responsibility for the failure of the talks today and for any escalation and violence that may take over on the ground on the following days”.

“For the sake of transparency I have to say we put forward a proposal that could have avoided this risky situation, which President Vucic accepted today, but Prime Minister Kurti did not”, Borrell said.

Since there was no agreement, Borrell said, he called on both Serbia and Kosovo to implement what was proposed.

“First, I now expect Kosovo to immediately suspend further stages related to the re-registration of vehicles in north Kosovo and Serbia to suspend issuing new licences plates with Kosovo cities’ denomination, including KM plates,” Borrell said.

He added that he will inform EU member states “about the behaviour of the different parties and lack of respect for international legal obligations and I have to say this goes particularly for Kosovo.

“If European Union accession is their [Serbia, Kosovo] ultimate objective … we expect them to act accordingly with that,” Borrell said.

Serbia’s Vucic told the media after the meeting that “the Serbian side was completely constructive.. but the Albanian side did not want to accept anything for a single second.

“We have sleepless nights and many difficult days ahead of us, but we will listen to the advice and request of the High Representative; he asked that they [Kosovo] not apply fines [to users of Serbian license plates] and that we do not issue new KM plates, which we said is fine, so we will respect that and act accordingly,” Vucic said.

Kurti, however, told media that the EU proposal “is not acceptable if it is not accompanied by what we were invited [to discuss], meaning an agreement to urgently engage for a final agreement of full normalization of relations” between Kosovo and Serbia.

“In the proposal provided by Borrell and Lajcak there was a deadline on March 2023″ for a final agreement, Kurti told the media, accusing Borrell of “giving up on the March 2023 deadline and on the proposal of the European Union for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia”.

Expressing readiness to continue talks for such a final mutual agreement, Kurti told the media that “we cannot be irresponsible and not treat the current issues – but we also cannot transform into state leaders who deal only with license plates issues and do not discuss normalization of relations”.

“That is why we are in this situation now and I hope the European Union will find the strength to back its own proposal for the normalization of relations,” Kurti added.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3gkwfLK

Kurti’s remarks to the media after meetings in Brussels (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti shared in a Twitter post on Monday his remarks to the media after the meeting in Brussels. Watch the video at: https://bit.ly/3OqHuP4

Osmani: Borrell was biased; accommodated the aggressor (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said in a statement on Monday that “the first rule of any mediation process is impartiality. The first rule of any mediation process is impartiality. What we saw today from Mr. Borrell was blatantly biased, accommodating the aggressor and presenting a completely distorted reality. If Borrell respected the basic principles of neutrality, he would mention to Serbia, at least some of these violated Brussels agreements, instead of accusing Kosovo”. Osmani went on to list a number of agreements reached in Brussels that Serbia violated.

Osmani also said “peace and stability cannot be achieved by accommodating those with hegemonic ambitions. But, Kosovo will never give up the clear goal of long-term peace and stability as well as law and order throughout its territory.”

EU responds to Kurti: We haven’t given up on normalisation agreement (media)

European Union spokesman Peter Stano reacted to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s remarks that the EU gave up on the proposal for the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. Stano argued that the claims are not true, and that the EU remains fully committed to the proposal.

“Every allegation that the EU is giving up from its proposal on normalisation of relation between Kosovo and Serbia, which is supported by Germany, France, and US, are not true. The EU continues to fully support this proposal and encourages parties to agree on the text once they are ready to prove to international community that they are ready to move towards a European solution. What currently is the most important thing is that both parties avoid escalation, which requires an immediate action of both parties, Kosovo not to issue fines and Serbia not to issue new KM plates,” Stano said.

U.S. State Department: Parties to refrain from provocative steps (Klan Kosova)

The United States of America expressed disappointed over the lack of an agreement on licence plates between Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. A spokesman for the U.S. State Department told Klan Kosova on Monday that the U.S. call on Kurti to work with the EU High Representative Borrell and the EU Special Representative Lajcak to reach a fair compromise. He said that both Kurti and Vucic must make concessions to ensure that the peace gained over decades in a fragile region is not jeopardises. “We join the EU in calling on Kosovo to immediately suspend any planned measure that would escalate tensions, including the imposition of fines on vehicles … Both parties must refrain from undertaking any provocative steps, meet their obligations from the EU-facilitated dialogue and engage constructively in reaching a sustainable solution. The United States calls on Kosovo and Serbia to undertake immediate steps to reduce the tensions,” the spokesman said.

Bajrami: Kosovo proposed to suspend further phases of plate conversion (media)

Kosovo’s Ambassador to Brussels, Agron Bajrami, said in a Twitter post on Monday after the tripartite meeting that “at urgent dialogue meeting called by @JosepBorrellF, Kosovo proposed to suspend further phases of plate conversion, in exchange of Serbia stop issuing illegal plates and the EU starting the process of talks based on latest proposal backed by Germany and France. Strangely, this was refused!”

NATO SG: Disappointed that licence plate dispute wasn’t solved (media)

NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, expressed his disappointment on Monday over the lack of a solution to the licence plate dispute between Kosovo and Serbia. “Spoke to @JosepBorrellF. We are disappointed that it was not possible to solve the licence plate dispute. Now is the time for responsibility & pragmatic solutions. Escalation must be avoided. @NATO_KFOR remains vigilant,” the NATO chief tweeted.

UNMIK chief Ziadeh calls for calm and commitment to dialogue (media)

Special Representative of the Secretary General in Kosovo and head of UNMIK, Caroline Ziadeh, said in a statement that she has followed the discussions in Brussels and regrets that no agreement was reached to overcome the current impasse. “SRSG Ziadeh stresses the need to avoid any escalation that could destabilise the situation on the ground, lead to unintended consequences and jeopardise the hard-won gains of the last decade.”

“Dialogue and compromise are the bedrock of any blueprint for sustainable peace,” the SRSG said, calling for responsible leadership and genuine commitment to the EU-facilitated dialogue.

“Talks must continue in good faith so that the current trajectory is reversed,” she said.

Abbott: Immediate need to make progress on a normalisation agreement (media)

UK Ambassador to Kosovo, Nicholas Abbott, said on Monday that there is an immediate need to make progress on a normalisation agreement between Kosovo and Serbia. “It is disappointing that no agreement has been reached today. The current situation poses risks to the safety and livelihoods of ordinary people in Kosovo and distracts from the government’s mission to improve their lives. All parties need to avoid action that could lead to an escalation in tension or cause threats to security. The immediate need is to make progress on a normalisation agreement that would make disputes over issues such as license plates unnecessary,” Abbott tweeted.

Svecla: Police ready to ensure and security throughout Kosovo (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Interior Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, said on Monday that the Kosovo Police is ready to ensure order and security throughout the territory of Kosovo. He said that recently there has been continuous misinformation by “supporters and those working for Serbia”.

“But dear fellow citizens, the security of all, regardless of any differences, is our constitutional and legal mission, task, and mandate, and we will implement it decisively. The implementation of our mission is made easier through close cooperation, communication, and a spirit of understanding. The Kosovo Police is committed and ready to ensure order and security throughout the Republic of Kosovo and in close coordination with our international partners and allies. The lawfulness, respect and implementation of the decisions of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo are the right and only way to protect the spirit of institutions, the rule of law and guaranteeing public safety,” Svecla wrote in a Facebook post.

“I call on all you to cooperate with the state representatives, police officers, to engage in inter-social solidarity and interact with all institutions of our country in the implementation of our right decisions. We were always on the right path as a people and society. We never caused injustice to anyone, and we never supported injustices against other nationals. We are the same today. All of us together for our country, democracy, and law.”

Haradinaj: Decision on licence plates must be suspended (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, called on Prime Minister Kurti on Monday to suspend the decision on licence plates until an agreement on mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia is reached.

Haradinaj called on Kosovo Assembly President Glauk Konjufca to urgently call an extraordinary assembly session that would adopt the AAK-proposed resolution to overcome the current situation.

“I also call on the President [Vjosa Osmani] to take on an active role in calming the situation and overcoming the stalemate”.

“I call on all Serb citizens to refrain from acts of violence and not fall prey to the political calculations of the regime in Belgrade”.

“Now is the last moment for the governments in Belgrade and in Pristina to meet and reach a peace agreement on recognition, and to give up on actions that threaten people’s lives!”.

Palokaj: With this pace, dialogue can last 11 years (Koha)

Brussels-based correspondent, Augustin Palokaj, said in an interview with KTV on Monday night that the current pace and readiness of the international community and the parties in the dialogue, the process can last another 11 years, and a final settlement will not be reached.

He argued that the Kosovo side must coordinate honestly its actions with international partners. “For the time being, there is almost unity among the Quint countries, the U.S. and the European Union, in that they are disappointed with the lack of readiness from the Kosovo side to postpone for 10 months the implementation of the licence plates decision. But on the other hand, there was no response from them what will happen after this deadline, because Serbia is saying that the problem is not the deadline but the design of the plates and that they don’t ever want the Kosovo Serbs to have RKS plates,” he said.

Floods Cause Six Deaths in Montenegro, Albania, Serbia (BIRN)

Heavy rain during the weekend was blamed for a number of deaths in Western Balkan countries, while in some towns, transportation was affected, and some schools were suspended in Serbia and Albania.

In Montenegro, heavy rains caused flooding in northern and central parts and some local roads were cut off in the towns of Berane, Danilovgrad and Tuzi. On Sunday, police reported that three people drowned after their car was caught in the river near the capital, Podgorica.

Rivers overflowed in the southwest of Serbia in the Raska region. The towns of Novi Pazar, Tutin and Prijepolje were heavily flooded and a two-year-old boy drowned near Tutin in the river Vidrenjak, swollen by several hours of rain.

Primary and secondary schools in the Novi Pazar area were closed by the authorities, as large amounts of water were expected from the surrounding mountains during the night.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3TY1h9Z