French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have called for new municipal elections in those areas of Kosovo that are mainly inhabited by ethnic Serbs, writes Politico.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani met with Macron and Scholz in Moldova, where the summit of the European Political Community was held.
After the authorities decided to appoint ethnic Albanians as mayors in the municipalities of the northern part of the country, the violence erupted. Mayors took office after elections in which less than 4% of eligible voters took part. Macron told the media: “There have been in northern Kosovo tensions that were due to the regrettable holding of polls even though the conditions were not fulfilled to guarantee proper process … this led to an escalation of violence.”
According to the French president,
Vucic and Osmani agreed to consider a plan proposed by France and Germany to ease tensions in Kosovo.
The plan includes new elections in disputed areas of Kosovo, as well as a promise by Serbia to encourage ethnic Serbs to vote. The leaders of the two Balkan countries are expected to discuss the offer and give an answer next week.
Scholtz called on both sides to behave responsibly and take bold decisions to ensure peace in the region.
Before that, there were no signs that Vucic and Osmani could reach a compromise: the Kosovo president accused Vucic of deliberately destabilizing the situation, while the Serbian leader said that Kosovo should remove “illegal mayors”.
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