Vetëvendosje

Back from the Brink

EU rule of law mission in Kosovo, EULEX, Police officers patrol the area near the border crossing between Kosovo and Serbia in Jarinje, Kosovo, September 28, 2021. Photo: EPA-EFE/VALDRIN XHEMAJ

Namely, the situation became tense as self-proclaimed Kosovo introduced reciprocity with Serbia regarding license plates.
Juda wrote on Twitter that Serbian military reportedly driving around close to Kosovo border and Kosovo police deploying to the north.

President Vjosa Osmani told media on Monday evening, after meeting the leaders of Kosovo's political parties, that because of a lack of consensus, the local election process will go ahead as planned and the October 17 polls will not be postponed.

With power in Kosovo now in the hands of Vetevendosje and its leader, Prime Minister Albin Kurti, BIRN took a look at the state of play with the Washington Agreement. Of the 16 points, Hoti signed up to, only one has been fully implemented - the establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel.

There has been no positive movement on any of the other elements.

Albin Kurti asked Serbia on Monday to open its state archives relating to the 1998-99 war in Kosovo, arguing that "as regards missing persons, the answer lies there [in Belgrade]".

Police said on Monday that they have arrested a 21-year-old man for setting off tear gas at a concert by Bosnian-born musician Goran Bregovic and his band at a festival in the city of Korca which had been opposed by Albanian nationalists over his alleged role in the Kosovo conflict.

Two women cross the main bridge of the ethnically divided town of Mitrovica, Kosovo, 3 September 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/VALDRIN XHEMAJ

On Friday, Erden Atiq, a local Vetevendosje leader in mainly Serb North Mitrovica, spoke about a potential agreement between the Albanian parties to field a single mayoral candidate for the October 17 local elections.

Petronijevic believes that this is our chance after another round of failed negotiations between President Aleksandar Vucic and President of the Interim Institutions of Pristina Albin Kurti in Brussels.

Montenegrin Interior Minister Sergej Sekulovic at a press conference in Podgorica. Photo: Government of Montenegro

Kosovo's government, led by Vetevendosje's Albin Kurti, is preparing to reintroduce reciprocity measures against Serbia, which were lifted by the former government because they were considered an obstacle to the EU-facilitated dialogue.