EU warns Kosovo that operations are increasing tension

The EU warned Kosovo on Friday that recent police operations, inspections and closure of public services could exacerbate tensions, negatively impact the daily lives of local communities and harm its international standing.

“We are particularly concerned about the operations against the Vodovod Ibar company in North Mitrovica and the Zubin Potok water supply and utilities plant, which provide basic public services to communities living in the northern part of Kosovo,” European Union (EU) foreign policy chief spokeswoman Kaja Kallas said in a statement.

The EU's High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy stressed that “unilateral and uncoordinated actions undermine efforts to build trust between communities” .

He therefore urged the outgoing Kosovar Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, and the Kosovo authorities to “put an end to these closures, to exercise restraint and to avoid measures that increase tensions”.

The spokesperson also urged Kosovo and Serbia to “engage constructively” in the EU-facilitated dialogue in order to implement the agreement on the normalisation of relations and its annex, as well as other pacts reached in this context, “without further delay or preconditions”.

Kallas clarified that this includes the creation of the Association/Community of Municipalities with a Serb Majority and recalled that the normalization of relations “is an essential condition on the European path for both parties”.

On Friday, Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani criticized the EU for its “total blockade” of the country , a close ally in the Balkans, while “opening the doors to those who go to Moscow to meet with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin ,” referring to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Upon arrival at the 6th European Political Community (EPC) summit in Tirana, the Kosovar head of state stressed that Kosovo is “100% aligned with EU policies”, including sanctions against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Serbia and Kosovo have tense relations, as Belgrade does not recognize the independence of the former Serbian province inhabited by Albanians, which proclaimed independence in 2008.

Brussels has been negotiating with Serbia for a decade over the Balkan country's entry into the EU, although the process has made little progress in recent years in the absence of internal reforms considered essential.

Osmani's statements come amid growing frustration in Pristina over the impasse in the EU enlargement process.

Kosovo applied to join the European Community bloc in 2022, but the lack of recognition by five member states (Spain, Slovakia, Greece, Cyprus and Romania) and the impasse in dialogue with Serbia prevent progress towards European integration.

Kosovo is currently considered by the EU to be a potential candidate for membership .