O'Brien: Serbia and Kosovo should take their share of responsibility and avoid provocations in the north

The United States supports the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, led by the European Union, and both sides must fulfill their obligations in this process and avoid provocations in the north, James O'Brien, the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs said.

"Our position on Kosovo and Serbia has not changed. We strongly support the dialogue led by the EU and Miroslav Lajcak. I call on Serbia and Kosovo to take their share of responsibility within the dialogue. There has been progress in recent months regarding everyday issues, such as license plates and customs documents, enabling freedom of movement", O'Brien said during an online briefing with journalists.

He emphasized the importance of Serbia and Kosovo avoiding provocative actions in the north, pointing out that NATO's presence had been strengthened.

"We are satisfied with the communication and cooperation between the Kosovo Police and EULEX in the north. Cooperation with KFOR is good. Also, communication and cooperation with Belgrade have contributed to calming the situation. We expect this to continue, along with more transparency and dialogue in the coming months, which is especially important after the events in Banjska at the end of September when a group tried to seize a large number of weapons, which would have caused violence if they had been able to carry out their plans", O'Brien said.

He stated that both sides understood that such an incident would not be allowed to happen again.

In this regard, he stated that the United States welcomed changes in the Serbian administration as a step forward in stabilizing the situation in northern Kosovo.

When it comes to elections in Serbia, O'Brien stated that it was important for institutions, including parliament, to involve opposition representatives.

"We support peaceful protests by citizens who believe that the elections are unfair. They have the right to peaceful protest. However, we want every concern to be expressed through the legal process, and clear election reports to be provided. We will work with the Government of Serbia on all concerns expressed by ODIHR", O'Brien said.

He noted that the elections had brought about certain changes, such as parties that had only offered nationalism would not be a part of the next parliament.

"Opposition groups have gained more support. For me, these two things mean that we now have a potential ruling coalition that is quite clear and responsible for achieving results", he said.

O'Brien also emphasized that the Western Balkans must be European, stable, and safe, primarily through economic integration, stating that the biggest challenge in the region was the departure of a large number of citizens to the EU or elsewhere.

"We are encouraged by the fact that the EU is committed and engaged. The EU accession process means preparing for entry into the economic union and making political decisions. The growth plan focuses on the first component, offering participation in certain parts of the common market. When states implement reforms, and ensure the fulfillment of the four basic freedoms, it is an important step for inclusion in the single market. This is a significant change in the relationship between the EU and the Western Balkans, which will happen when each country implements reforms", the US official said.

He also added that the goal of the United States was for Bosnia and Herzegovina to be European, stable, and functional.

"Bosnia and Herzegovina particularly suffers from brain drain. Half of the population does not live in the country, and that is what politicians should deal with. Instead, they offer a circus, especially Milorad Dodik with the marking of the Republika Srpska Day, trying to divert attention from the issues that the authorities should focus on", O'Brien said.

He also recalled that he had been involved in drafting the Dayton Peace Agreement.

"His (Dodik's) stories about secession are explicitly rejected in the original Dayton Agreement. It's nonsense, and it's unconstitutional", O'Brien said.

He added that the focus should be on making institutions function, and political leaders should be accountable for achieving results.

As he stated, "national circus is not in the interest of the country".