Thursday

28th Mar 2024

Kosovo still opposed to EU police mission, PM says

Pristina is still opposed to the compromise deal between Serbia, the European Union and the United Nations on the deployment of EULEX, the EU's police and justice mission in Kosovo, and its stance will not change, Kosovo's prime minister, Hashim Thaci, said on Sunday (16 November).

"Kosovo will not change its position. It is the points of this plan that need to change. We have a state position and we will defend that position until the end," Mr Thaci was reported as saying by Serbian news portal B92.net.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

  • Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on 17 February this year (Photo: European Parliament)

The European law-enforcement team of some 2,000 police, judicial and customs officials was to be deployed throughout Kosovo by the end of this year, but it has already been delayed several times due in part to Serbian opposition.

Serbia rejects Kosovo's independence, proclaimed earlier this year, and feared that the deployment of EULEX as initially planned would carry effective recognition of Kosovo as a sovereign state.

Under pressure from Belgrade, the UN presented a revised six-point plan to Kosovo leaders last week, under which EULEX would be neutral regarding Kosovo's status and would be run by the UN and not the EU in the Serb-dominated parts of Kosovo.

Pristina considers that the revised proposal clashes with its interests, however.

"This is a deal between the UN and Belgrade, while Pristina has not been consulted at all," Mr Thaci said. "I stress that the time when the decisions on Kosovo were made without Kosovo is over."

Some 15 Kosovar civic and non-governmental organisations have planned a demonstration against the six-point compromise plan, which will take place on Wednesday in Pristina.

Friday's blast not linked to EULEX issue

The Kosovar premier's comments came a day after a blast rattled the office of EU envoy Pieter Feith in Kosovo.

An explosive charge was thrown at a building hosting the International Civilian Office in Pristina on Friday, damaging its windows and cars stationed nearby, but without injuring anyone, Reuters reports.

The French EU presidency quickly condemned the action and "reaffirm(ed) the determination of the European Union to work toward establishing the rule of law in Kosovo for the benefit of its entire population, through the European police and justice mission."

Although the blast occurred in the context of Pristina rejecting the amended UN plan on EULEX deployment and of a growing discontent with the deal, Kosovo leaders ruled out the possibility that the two things could be connected.

"Only enemies of Kosovo can link these two things," Kosovo's president, Fatmir Sejdiu, said, while Mr Thaci added: "Such an ugly crime cannot affect Kosovo's pro-European politics."

Ukraine slams grain trade restrictions at EU summit

Restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural exports to the EU could translate into military losses in their bid to stop Russia's war, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky warned EU leaders during their summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Difficult talks ahead on financing new EU defence spending

With the war in Ukraine showing no signs of ending any time soon, EU leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday (21 and 22 March) to discuss how to boost the defence capabilities of Ukraine and of the bloc itself.

Opinion

Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Rather than assuming a pro-European Labour government in London will automatically open doors in Brussels, the Labour party needs to consider what it may be able to offer to incentivise EU leaders to factor the UK into their defence thinking.

Latest News

  1. Kenyan traders react angrily to proposed EU clothes ban
  2. Lawyer suing Frontex takes aim at 'antagonistic' judges
  3. Orban's Fidesz faces low-polling jitters ahead of EU election
  4. German bank freezes account of Jewish peace group
  5. EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania
  6. 'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told
  7. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  8. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us