Any delay in removing the punitive measures against Kosovo only undermines the credibility of the European Union, says the caretaker government. After the transfer of power in the four northern municipalities, the executive says that the measures no longer have any meaning or basis in the reality on the ground, KosovaPress reports.
Last week, the newly elected mayors from the Serbian community in the local elections were sworn in in the four northern municipalities: North Mitrovica, Zvečan, Zubin Potok, and Leposavić.
The European Union welcomed the transition of power in the north, but has not indicated when the punitive measures against Kosovo will be lifted.In fact, in a response to KosovaPress, the EU linked the removal of the measures to the proper conduct of the December 28 nationwide elections.
However, Klisman Kadiu, adviser to the caretaker Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Besnik Bislimi, says that the early parliamentary elections of December 28 have no connection to this process. Kadiu emphasizes that the measures should be removed immediately and completely by the European Union.“Recently, the European Commission stated in the Country Report at the beginning of last month that the measures would be removed after the local elections and the successful transfer of power in the four northern municipalities. This has already happened, peacefully, legally, and without any incident. Any further delay only deepens the absurdity of the measures and undermines the EU’s credibility. Our position is that the measures should be removed immediately and entirely. The early parliamentary elections in Kosovo have no connection to this process,” his response to KosovaPress states.
In July of this year, the European Union began gradually lifting the punitive measures. According to the caretaker government, funds for Kosovo from the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) have already been unblocked. They say that after the resumption of meetings within the subcommittees of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), projects for which Kosovo applied in areas such as energy and digitalization have also been approved.
The measures against Kosovo were imposed in 2023 in response to the escalation of the security situation in northern Kosovo, when Albanian mayors—elected in elections boycotted by local Serbs—began their duties in the northern municipalities. Read also: https://kosovapress.com/eng/when-will-the-punitive-measures-against-kosovo-be-lifted
