Senator Chris Murphy: Kurti's actions endanger US troops and other NATO forces

American Senator Chris Murphy said today that the decisions of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti in the north of Kosovo in the last 30 days had put American and other NATO troops in unnecessary danger, Reporteri reported.

In an interview with the Atlantic Council, Murphy also said that it would not bring any good to Kosovo, in terms of international funding.

"When Kurti decided to hold elections in the north of Kosovo, it made sense for the mayors to take the oath, but I simply do not believe that it was necessary to push a certain mayor to have access to the municipal building, in an action that the government in Pristina knew it would initiate a reaction, which will ultimately become violent. I think the decisions in Pristina now unnecessarily endanger NATO forces. This is something that Congress will never be interested in funding — American troops, NATO troops are being put at unnecessary risk," Murphy said.

He expressed his dissatisfaction with the fact that Kosovo and Serbia had regressed on the path of normalizing relations, after the recent events in the northern municipalities of Kosovo.

"We saw a lot of progress and promise with the Ohrid Agreement, which aims to define the path that Serbia and Kosovo can take to achieve normalization. Now we are far from that path, and that is on the US and Europe as well. The citizens of both countries demand that we get back to the plan, to get back to the concessions that are necessary here - for Kosovo to establish the Community, and for Serbia not to prevent Kosovo from getting international recognition. We should be able to get back on track," Murphy said.

According to him, it is good for Kosovo and its citizens to have good relations with Serbia, because only then will Pristina be able to join NATO and the EU.

"I think it is very important that Kurti makes difficult decisions to achieve peace and start the path of normalization with Serbia. This is good for his people; it is good for Kosovo to have more normal relations with Serbia. It is good that Kosovo can apply in good faith for membership in both NATO and the EU, which cannot happen if Kosovo continues to have this divisive relationship with Serbia," Murphy said.

He added that his message was simple:

"My constituents will not be so willing to send money to the region unless they see the leaders taking the reasonable steps necessary to maintain peace."