June 27 () –
The Secretary of the United States Department of State, Antony Blinken, asked Kosovo and Serbia on Monday to reduce “immediately” tensions, which have been escalating in recent weeks.
“I spoke to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to underline the importance of immediately de-escalating tensions. We welcome today’s release of Kosovo police officers and continue to strongly support the EU’s three-point plan as the best way forward,” Blinken said on his Twitter account.
Regarding his conversation with the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, he has also asked to de-escalate the situation and has reiterated the importance of following the three-point plan of the European Union.
Serbian authorities detained three Kosovar police officers on June 15 for allegedly crossing the border, while Pristina called the incident a “kidnapping”; the agents have been released this Monday.
The arrest of the three agents was the penultimate episode of years of crisis whose latest rise began first with a conflict over the vehicle registration process and has escalated over time until reaching a new height after the local elections in northern Kosovo, anticipated due to the en bloc resignation of the Kosovar Serb mayors in rejection of the Pristina government.
The European Union has tried to mediate between the two territories to reach a negotiated solution to the crisis, proposing both the holding of new elections with the participation of all the political formations that want it; as well as the release of the aforementioned Kosovar Police officers.
