Peach: Imposing the mayors by force was not wise; damaged Kosovo's reputation among the allies

Great Britain's envoy for the Western Balkans, Stuart Peach, said after the meetings he had with the representatives of Pristina that the decision to force the mayor's entry into the municipal buildings in the north of Kosovo had not been wise and led to serious consequences.

As the British Embassy in Kosovo stated on Twitter, Peach stated that today in Pristina he had spoken with Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Deputy Prime Minister Donika Gervalla, Minister of Defense Armend Mehaj, and US Ambassador Hovenier.

"At the meetings with government representatives, I conveyed a clear message - the action of the Kosovo government to force mayors into municipal buildings in the north was not wise and led to severe consequences. Now is the time for all parties to de-escalate the situation. I am carefully following the developments and talking with partners in Washington, Brussels, and beyond. Those conversations made me aware that the latest events have caused damage to the international image of Kosovo and the reputation it has with its allies," Peach said.

He stated that Great Britain had stood by Kosovo both in good and bad times.

"As friends and helpers, we will continue to do so, but unilateral actions will only make it much more difficult," Peach pointed out.