Sarrazin: Sending mayors to the north is Kosovo Government's mistake for which they will face consequences

Manuel Sarrazin, Germany's Special Representative for the Western Balkans, emphasizes that the problem in northern Kosovo will not be resolved until new elections are held and that the decision of the Kosovo Government to send new mayors to municipal buildings is a mistake that will have political consequences, Table Berlin reports.

Sarrazin noted that the parties in conflict had lost the international community's trust.

"Nevertheless, I have no doubt that KFOR will continue to play its role wisely and decisively. There is a clear mandate, and it has not changed," Sarrazin stated in an interview with Table Berlin.

"I personally told Prime Minister Albin Kurti that everyone will face the consequences of their decisions. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, through his statements and voting behavior in recent weeks, has further eroded trust in the Council of Europe. However, the decision of the Kosovo Government to risk escalation by taking mayors to municipal buildings with strong police escorts is a mistake for which they bear political responsibility. The Kosovo Government insists on its right to install its elected mayors following the renewed conflicts. We have called for caution. The issue is that until the Serbian majority in those four northern municipalities participates in elections, the problem will not be solved. Formally, the Kosovo Government can insist on election results, while the Serbs argue that elections in which only three percent participated cannot be an acceptable representation," Sarrazin explained.

He believes that the decision of the Kosovo Government to risk escalation by taking mayors to municipal buildings with heavy police escorts.

He adds that the EU-led dialogue must continue at full speed.

"We fully support EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak. In order to exit the constant crisis mode, the implementation of the Basic Agreement between the two countries agreed upon in February and March must finally progress. Chancellor Scholz and President Macron strongly supported these efforts in the dialogue in their joint talks with the heads of state of Kosovo and Serbia in Moldova on Wednesday. The priority here is a return to the negotiating table, calming the situation in the north, holding new elections, and implementing the Basic Agreement," Sarrazin said.

Kosovo politicians must understand that their actions in the north have been rejected more than they think, Sarrazin emphasizes, and he adds that there is a civil society of Kosovo Serbs that does not rely on violence.

According to him, it is a mistake on the part of the EU not to insist on the ratification of the agreed-upon agreements in the parliaments.

"It is a big mistake that we always announced successes verbally but never put them in written form. Both sides should have been convinced to ratify the agreements in parliaments," Sarrazin stated.

He notes that the current situation does not allow for peace.

"Now we see how both sides behave very similarly, calling each other fascists and terrorists. We need to explain that the international community is very angry with them and feels betrayed. This is simply not the tone that would enable peace," Sarrazin said, among other things.