Stano: Elections do not offer a long-term political solution for the municipalities in the north, CSM formation as soon as possible

European Union spokesperson Peter Stano commented on the extraordinary elections held yesterday in northern Kosovo and stated that they do not offer a long-term political solution for the four municipalities, but that it can only happen through the permanent return of Kosovo Serbs to institutions.

In a statement, Stano emphasized that Kosovo should enable the return of Serbs to institutions and that the work on forming the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities should be completed as soon as possible.

He reiterated that the European Union regrets that not all parties had exercised their right to participate in the elections and commented on the low turnout of Serbs in the voting.

"The EU notes that the elections were held in accordance with Kosovo's legal framework and that efforts were made to hold them smoothly and orderly. At the same time, the EU regrets that not all parties and communities exercised their democratic right to participate and vote in the elections. The very low turnout, especially among Kosovo Serb citizens, shows that this process is not and cannot be considered normal," Stano said in the statement.

He says that participation in the electoral process aims to ensure that the voices of the communities represented by elected leaders are heard and that since Serbs left Kosovo institutions in November 2022, "the EU has consistently engaged with both sides to facilitate their return."

He believes that these elections are not a permanent solution and that the formation of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities should be completed as soon as possible.

"These elections do not offer a long-term political solution for these municipalities. This can only happen through the permanent return of Kosovo Serbs to institutions and Kosovo enabling that return. The work on forming the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities should be completed as soon as possible," he concludes.

Stano notes that the participation of Serbs in local government and other sectors is imperative and that dialogue is the key to solving this situation they find themselves in.

"It is imperative that we urgently restore the situation in which Kosovo Serbs actively participate in local government, police, and justice in northern Kosovo. To this end, there is an urgent need for serious dialogue between the Government of Kosovo and Kosovo Serbs in the north. There has been little progress so far. Therefore, we need both sides to play their role and fulfill their obligations. The agreement on the path to the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is the right platform for achieving this goal," he said.

He also praised the professionalism of the Kosovo Police, EULEX, and KFOR in ensuring a safe environment for the elections.