If you turn your back on this agreement, you’re turning your back to Europe, with all the consequences that come with it, instability in relations, lack of funding, and freedom of movement, said Gabriel Escobar.
The US special envoy, and the European mediator for the Western Balkans and the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Gabriel Escobar and Miroslav Lajcak, have ended their two-day visit to Pristina. The reason behind their visit was to de-escalate the crisis that began on May 26th after the Kosovo PM, Albin Kurti, having ignored the warnings of the international community, ordered special police units to occupy three municipal buildings in the north.
In an attempt to calm tensions, Western countries’ high representatives reiterated their demands to the Kosovo Prime Minister that he takes steps to de-escalate the crisis, starting with the implementation of the Ohrid Agreement, and forming the ASM.
De-escalation involves the withdrawal of police forces from municipal buildings in Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok, so that the mayors continue to carry out their, as they put it, „administrative“ mandates from alternative locations, and to call local elections with the guaranteed participation of Srpska Lista.
„The European Union was very clear, if it is accepted, the path to Europe will be much faster, if it is not accepted – Europe is rejected. This is a European process, this is a dialogue, a European road map, i.e. basic agreement and with the EU as arbitrator. Therefore, if you turn your back on this agreement, you have turned your back on Europe, with all the consequences that come with it, instability in relations, lack of funding and freedom of movement,“ Escobar emphasized today in Pristina to representatives of various media outlets, including KoSSev.
He expressed hope that it will not come to that, although he is disappointed, because the benefits are exponential, he says.
„Each country that joined the EU is more prosperous, more democratic and richer and more stable. If you look at your neighbors, if you look at Croatia, Slovenia, and every other country that joined the EU in the last 25 years – benefits cannot be denied. We hope that people will understand that, that this is the solution to all this“.
However, the current Kosovo government has so far ignored the expectations and advice of its international partners.
Addressing Kosovo’s damaged relations with international partners, Escobar emphasized that it is not only the United States, but that the entire transatlantic community is now united in the expectations they presented to the Kosovo Prime Minister.
„I’ll tell you one thing, it’s not just the US, it’s the whole transatlantic community. It’s not just us, the 27 EU countries and the UK. We see things the same way, we provide support, but it could have a lasting impact,“ he said.
Read more:
Escobar in Pristina: If you turn your back on this agreement, you’ve turned your back on Europe
Escobar: The international community is not going to let another conflict happen again
Escobar: The ASM is a way to unwind Serbia’s control of the north
Escobar: Whenever we talk to Kurti and Bislimi, they only want to talk about Serbia
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
