Hoxha: Every conflict must end at the table; the situation in the north is unbearable

Any conflict, regardless of its scale, must be resolved through dialogue and at the negotiating table, as otherwise, the situation will deteriorate, which benefits no one, according to Leart Hoxha, a political analyst from Pristina, who spoke for Kosovo Online about the perspective of dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade after the conflict in Banjska on Sunday.

According to Hoxha, dialogue is the only solution for resolving the crisis and the current situation in Kosovo. He emphasizes that there is no alternative.

"What we know is that the Kumanovo Agreement is still in force, KFOR forces are here, and these forces have assessed that there was no need for them to intervene and that what happened on Sunday in Banjska was a police action. According to the official assessment, it was a situation that the police could handle. However, if the situation deteriorates, it will become increasingly necessary for the parties to sit down at the table again. Therefore, the more pressure there is for the resumption of dialogue and the more both sides advocate for it, the better it will be for the citizens and for preventing any escalation on the ground," Hoxha says.

He emphasizes that the first step is for both sides to express their readiness for dialogue.

"Secondly, in the coming days, Kosovo institutions should quickly provide preliminary results of the investigation, and after that, it will be known from which position the dialogue will continue because the current situation is somewhat paradoxical. We have Kosovo under punitive measures, and de-escalation in the north is needed to lift these punitive measures. In that regard, the reduction of police presence there has begun, and you can see what happened. I think it has been proven that it is very difficult to achieve what the European Union wants, which is a gradual de-escalation," Hoxha points out, adding that the speed at which the dialogue continues depends on the investigation of the Banjska incident.

He stresses that the current situation in northern Kosovo is unbearable.

"We all know that these mayors there cannot stay in office until the end of their terms; it doesn't make sense. It is also very difficult for special forces to patrol the entire region. Having KFOR or NATO forces engage in policing operations is equally problematic, and it is understandable why KFOR does not get involved in these operations. I read what President Vucic says, that KFOR should take care of security and safety there; they have been doing that all along, they have been doing it for more than twenty years. However, in principle, the military does not engage in policing, which is why I think all these factors prove that the situation there is unbearable, that it is difficult to restore order and peace in daily life through such special operations, and that dialogue is the only option," Hoxha concluded.