EU urges Serbs to return to Kosovo power structures

The rapporteur for Serbia in the European Parliament, Vladimir Bilcic, and a member of the EU stabilisation and association committee, Manjaž Nemec, have called on the Serbian population in Kosovo to return to their power structures during a two-day visit to Belgrade.

According to the Serbian newspaper Nova, during the visit to Serbia, the EU representatives met with the President of the Serbian National Assembly, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, and the leaders of the Serbian opposition.

"There must be no violence, there must be no attacks on KFOR (the NATO mission in Kosovo, 30 members of which were wounded during the recent protests). If the situation deteriorates, the responsibility will lie on both sides. There should be space for dialogue and new elections. I hope that Serbs will return to the institutions [of power in Kosovo]," Bilcic told reporters.

The MEP emphasized that the situation in Kosovo has changed, so new elections should be held in the Serb-majority municipalities in northern Kosovo.

Before that, the Serbian population and parties boycotted the April 23 partial local elections in northern Kosovo, which led to the victory of the Albanian candidates. Their entry into municipal buildings led to protests and outbreaks of violence on May 29, which left some 100 people injured.