“We cannot afford another conflict in Europe”

The head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, has issued an ultimatum on Tuesday to the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia to adopt “urgent” measures to reduce tension “immediately and unconditionally”. “We have too much violence in Europe today, we cannot afford another conflict. I hope my voice is heard,” Borrell said.

About thirty NATO soldiers (from Italy and Hungary) have been injured with fractures, burns and even firearms following violent protests by Serbs in northern Kosovo. The violence has sparked after the recent election of ethnic Albanian mayors in Serb-majority areas. The Serbs had boycotted the elections and have tried to prevent the mayors from taking office.

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, has placed the Army on high combat alert. The NATO peacekeeping mission (KFOR) has condemned the riots and assures that it will take “all necessary measures to guarantee a safe environment and freedom of movement for all communities in Kosovo.” “Both parties must take full responsibility for what happened. and prevent further escalation,” said KFOR commander Angelo Michele Ristuccia.

[Violentos enfrentamientos en Kosovo entre serbios y Fuerzas de la OTAN dejan al menos 75 heridos]

“The EU condemns in the strongest terms the violence in northern Kosovo that we have seen in recent days. Violent actions against citizens, against the media, against security forces and against KFOR troops are absolutely unacceptable and lead to a very dangerous situation“, Borrell said at a press conference with the new president of Montenegro.

The head of EU diplomacy has expressed his “firm” support for KFOR “in fulfilling its mandate in the interest of stability and peace in Kosovo”. Borrell spoke with Vucic on Monday night and has spoken this Tuesday with the president of Kosovo Albin Kurti, in addition to sending a personal representative to the region.

“I call on both parties to urgently take measures to de-escalate the tension immediately and unconditionally. Any further unilateral action must be avoided and calm must be restored.. As a first step, I hope that the Kosovar authorities suspend police operations focused on municipal buildings in northern Kosovo and that violent protesters withdraw,” insisted the High Representative for Foreign Policy.

Borrell demands that the Kosovars and Serbs act responsibly and return to the dialogue facilitated by the EU to normalize relations. Meanwhile, the EU countries have begun to discuss this Tuesday “possible steps to take” if the parties continue to resist to the steps that are claimed for de-escalation.

“We have too much violence in Europe today, we cannot afford another conflict. I hope my voice is heard,” stressed the head of EU diplomacy.