The withdrawal of the police from the municipalities in the north has begun

The Kosovo police have confirmed that they have begun a gradual withdrawal from municipal facilities in the north, as agreed upon at the meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi and the EU envoy for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Miroslav Lajcak, reports Reporteri.

The deputy director of the police for the North region, Veton Elshani, said that the decision of the government was accepted by the Police Directorate as soon as it was received and it was sent "to the field" for execution.

"The decision of the Government of Kosovo has started to be implemented," said Elshani.

The day after the meeting between Bislimi and Lajcak, the Government of Kosovo presented details of what exactly they agreed on, stating that the main focus of the meeting was to create preconditions for the full and unconditional implementation of the Basic Agreement of February 27 and the Ohrid Annex of March 18.

The government in Pristina said last night that it was ready to contribute to the de-escalation of the situation - which includes the current reduction of police presence by 25 percent in and around municipal buildings in four municipalities in the north.