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Kosovo may soon face sanctions from the Euro-Atlantic community due to the tensions created in northern Mitrovica. This is what high-level and diplomatic sources told EURACTIV, while Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama canceled his planned meeting with his Kosovar counterpart, Albin Kurti, on Wednesday, citing pending measures as one of the reasons.
"EURACTIV" was informed by a high-level source that the EU and the US were preparing a number of sanctions against Kosovo. This was later reinforced by comments from Rama and other diplomatic sources who confirmed that sanctions were imminent. The sanctions mentioned in an internal diplomatic memo provided by the source include freezing EU funds, halting the visa liberalization process and membership processes for international institutions.
Among these measures, it is warned that there will be individual sanctions against Kosovar leaders and high officials. The source also called on the opposition to support the EU and the US in their efforts to stabilize the situation and also declare whether they support Kosovo's obligations in the ongoing dialogue supported by the EU. A second diplomatic source told EURACTIV that they were aware of a document outlining possible sanctions that was being circulated.
Rama and Kurti were supposed to meet on Wednesday in Gjakovë to discuss a series of bilateral agreements, but the Albanian prime minister canceled the meeting at the last moment. "The meeting of the two Albanian-Kosovo governments has been cancelled," said Rama. The Albanian Prime Minister said that he had requested a specific meeting with Kurti and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense to discuss the situation in the north, but the Prime Minister of Kosovo did not agree with the new format. As a result and due to the "hourly deterioration of Kosovo's relations with the entire Euro-Atlantic community, this meeting cannot be held in the anticipated format". Rama said yesterday that after speaking with the EU's chief diplomat Josep Borrell, Kosovo's actions "have put their finger on the button that will set in motion the plan of sanctions against the state that created it".
sanctions
According to these measures, the sanctions will include the suspension of invitations for Kosovo's participation in high-level events and bilateral visits by the European Union and member countries. There will be meetings only when they need to be held to focus on addressing the crisis in northern Kosovo and steps to find a solution.
The other sanction is expected to include the joint work of the groups that exist between Kosovo and the EU, which were created on the basis of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA).
The meeting of a sub-committee, the one for trade, industry, customs and taxes, which was supposed to be held on June 8, but which did not take place, has already been suspended. The next meeting, which is expected to be suspended, is the one on June 21 and 22, of the sub-commission for justice, freedom and security. There will also be financial consequences for Kosovo. A significant suspension of financing by the EU of several projects for which Kosovo has given proposals within the Investment Fund for the Western Balkans is planned.
The EU, as a sanction against Kosovo, has planned to reduce the level of public presence in joint developments and events where members of the Government of Kosovo participate. This measure is expected to include meetings within the framework of financial cooperation. Tensions in the north have increased since May 26, when the Kosovo Police helped the Albanian mayors of Zveçan, Zubin Potok and Leposavič municipalities to settle in municipal facilities, despite the resistance of local residents. These tensions culminated on May 29, when local Serbs clashed with soldiers of the NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR. Dozens of people from both sides were injured in the clashes.
These mayors were elected on April 23, votes that were boycotted by the local Serbian parties and population. The EU and the United States have presented Kurti with three demands: calming the situation in the north, holding new elections in the four municipalities in the north and returning to the dialogue for the normalization of Kosovo-Serbia relations. But, Kurti has presented a plan of five points. However, the EU has said that the Kosovar prime minister has not taken the appropriate steps to reduce tensions in the north. The United States has also canceled Kosovo's participation in the 'Defender Europe 23' military exercises, calling this the first punitive measure against Kosovo for not meeting the demands of the international community.
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