Hovenier: The decisions of the Government of Kosovo have a direct negative effect on the Serbs

The United States Government is deeply concerned about the recent actions of the Government of Kosovo, which have a direct and negative effect on members of ethnic Serbs and other minority communities in Kosovo, said the United States Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier.

In a statement published on the "X" social network, Hovenier stated that these actions unnecessarily raise ethnic tensions and, as a result, limit the ability of the United States to serve as an effective advocate for Kosovo in the international arena.

"They include the operations carried out by the Kosovo Police at the direction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs over the past week at the offices of the Serbia-administered institutions in Dragash, Pec, Istok and Klina, as well as at the NGO Center for Peace and Tolerance in Pristina. We are also concerned by the Kosovo police actions today actions to seize Serbian Dinar and the vehicle transporting it to distribute social benefit payments from Serbia," Hovenier wrote.

The American ambassador, who is the first international official who mentioned the intrusion into Serbian institutions and listed them all, stated that he expects from Kosovo authorities to ensure that the individuals to whom these social benefit payments were intended, receive them without delay.

"The responsibility of the Government of Kosovo is to promote the vision set forth at its founding and contained in its Declaration of Independence and Constitution: a vision of a fully multi-ethnic democracy that responds to the concerns of all its citizens. The issues related to Serbia-supported structures in Kosovo should be resolved through the EU-facilitated Dialogue. We likewise reiterate our request that Kosovo postpone enforcement of the Central Bank of Kosovo’s amended Regulation on cash operations until satisfactory procedures are in line with European standards are in place and until the population has been sufficiently informed about how the transition of their benefits will proceed," the statement reads.