US Mission to the OSCE: We call on Kosovo to immediately postpone the decision on the dinar

The United States remains committed to achieving sustainable peace in the Western Balkans. Normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia is an essential aspect of regional stability and prosperity, the Mission of the United States to the OSCE stated, calling on Kosovo to immediately postpone the decision on the dinar.

As Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Tracy Newell conveyed to the Permanent Council in Vienna, the mission urges Kosovo and Serbia to engage in good faith through the EU-facilitated Dialogue to strengthen democracy, EU economic integration, and foster multi-ethnic cooperation and respect.

"Kosovo’s unilateral decision to restrict the importation of the Serbian dinar does not advance these objectives. We call on Kosovo to immediately postpone enforcement of this decision and for the parties involved to seek resolution within the framework of the EU-facilitated Dialogue. We are also deeply concerned about recent, uncoordinated actions the Government of Kosovo has undertaken, including raids of Serbia-supported institutions and the shutting down of services on which Kosovan citizens rely. These actions are inconsistent with the Kosovo Government’s commitment to constructively address issues that affect the Serb minority community in Kosovo through the EU-facilitated Dialogue," the statement reads.

It is added that, meanwhile, "Serbia's failure to hold accountable the perpetrators of the September 24th attacks near the Banjska Monastery in Kosovo is unconscionable and deeply damages the trust needed for normalization."

"Immediately following those attacks, we called on Serbia to hold all responsible to account. Unfortunately, we must do so again today. Kosovo submitted a 48-page report to the EU on January 26, presenting its findings on the Banjska attack. The U.S.- and EU-sanctioned former leader of the Serb List, Milan Radoicic, has publicly admitted responsibility for organizing and participating in the Banjska attack. Yet Radoicic and others responsible for the horrific actions have not been held accountable. Serbia must hold the perpetrators and organizers of the September 24th attack responsible and work with NATO’s Kosovo Force to ensure that another assault like this cannot happen again," it states.

"Let me reiterate: Our priority remains the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. Both countries signed on to the Ohrid Agreement and its implementation annex in February and March of 2023, which the EU has said are legally binding commitments. They serve as a roadmap for each party to de-escalate tensions and urgently move forward on their respective European paths. Progress toward long-term peace is vitally important for the people of Kosovo and of Serbia, and for the long-term stability of the region. We thank the OSCE Missions in Kosovo and Serbia for their continued work, under difficult conditions, to help make this a reality," the statement concludes.