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Thank you. You know very well that, for almost four weeks, we have been witnessing the situation in the north of Kosovo deteriorating unnecessarily with protests and violent clashes. The KFOR troops, journalists, law enforcement officers and normal citizens were injured, and we hear about incidents on a daily basis.  

This is unacceptable, unaffordable, this cannot continue.  

And that is why I asked President [of Serbia, Aleksandar] Vučić and Prime Minister [of Kosovo, Albin] Kurti to come to Brussels today for a crisis management meeting. Again, we are in crisis management mode. Yes, we are dealing with a crisis, and I thank both of them for coming to Brussels and trying to look for de-escalation. 

We have called on Kosovo and Serbia many times to de-escalate tensions and to return to the process of normalisation of relations – and the Member States of the European Union have been very clear in calling for resolute steps, and so the United States has done.

Unfortunately, so far, all what we have been witnessing is just the opposite. 

Today, together with the European Union Special Representative, Mr [Miroslav] Lajčák, we spent the last four hours – more than four hours – first with Prime Minister [of Kosovo, Albin] Kurti, after with President [of Serbia, Aleksandar] Vučić in separate meetings – they were not joint meetings – to try to find a solution or at least a way forward.  

We presented to the Parties our clear expectations: 

To Kosovo, to immediately suspend police operations in the vicinity of the municipal buildings in the north of Kosovo and for the four mayors to temporarily perform their duties in premises out of the municipal buildings.  

For Serbia, to ensure that protestors will withdraw from the municipal building simultaneously with the withdrawal of the Kosovo police. 

To both, to announce early [local] elections, as soon as possible, in all four municipalities with the unconditional participation of the Kosovo Serbs. 

Here is the core of the problem, and the core of the solution; early elections. New elections, as soon as possible, with full participation. 

And after, once the situation on the ground becomes normal, to continue working on normalisation through the European Union facilitated Dialogue.  

Only a few months ago, we reached a landmark Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and it really looked like we were on a good track in order to advance on this normalisation of relations. We need to go back to the implementation of this agreement, and this includes starting without any further delay, or any kind of preconditions, negotiations for the drafting of the statute of the Association/ Community of Serb Majority Municipalities. 

I think that we have been very clear also that there cannot be impunity for the perpetrators of violence, but this issue has to be left to the judiciary to be handled in a professional and impartial manner. 

Today’s meeting did not focus on the what, but on the how and when: how to defuse the situation on the ground, how to defuse it in very concrete steps, how to organise new elections, and how to return to the Dialogue and implementation of all Dialogue obligations, in particular the recent Agreement on the Path to Normalisation.  

After four hours of meetings, I think the two leaders understand the severity of the situation, but obviously they are in different situations, different approaches, different interpretations of the causes and, also, effects, consequences and solutions. 

In order to try to go forward, I have been putting on the table concrete proposals, based on the mentioned conditions of the European Union. 

And at least, in this context, we agreed on the need for new elections and discussed in detail the modalities and the steps on how to get there. They are still not there, but at least we know how to proceed, and which are the different alternatives and procedures. 

We also discussed about arrests. I stressed that arbitrary or unrightful arrests or mistreatment of prisoners is completely unacceptable. Our [European Union] civilian mission – our EULEX mission in Kosovo - will play a more robust role in monitoring in this context. 

I also stressed to President Vučić that the three Kosovo policemen held in Serbia need to be released immediately and unconditionally.   

Summing up, I think that we have identified possible ways forward, but both parties urgently need to deliver on their commitments. In particular, I presented to [the Prime Minister of] Kosovo some allegations about the treatment of prisoners and the reason for some detentions, and I asked for a thorough investigation and evaluation of this situation, and to take the appropriate measures. 

The last [thing] I can say, is that the Special Representative Mr [Miroslav] Lajčák, and myself will be in close touch with both parties in the coming days.  

I will report to the Foreign Ministers on Monday [Foreign Affairs Council] where we stand and where we should go. 

Thank you. 

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-243119