The President of Croatia, Zoran Milanovic, declared today in Tirana that Serbia has not yet given a concrete answer to the events in Banjska, which he described as the most serious incident in the region so far.
Invited by President Bajram Begaj, Croatian President Milanovic is visiting Albania, where they condemned the events of Banjska on September 24 in the north of Kosovo.
During the meeting in Tirana, the President of Croatia, Zoran Milanovic, and the President of Albania, Bajram Begaj, condemned the attack on the Kosovo police in Banjska, as “a criminal and terrorist attack”, and expressed concern over the preparations and heavy military weaponry used by terrorist group.
They emphasized that the European Union should increase the pressure on Serbia to complete the investigations and take responsibility for those events, which they described as “directly affecting the peace and security of the entire region”.
President Milanovic emphasized that Serbia has not yet responded to what happened in Banjska.
“The events in Banjska represent a very serious incident, perhaps the most serious incident to date. Serbia and President Vucic owe us concrete answers, we have facts and evidence, we know about the training ground where those people trained. Vučić has not answered for this, and he must answer for this”, said Mr. Milanovic.
Kosovo accuses Serbia of organizing the attack on the police in the village of Banjska in the north on September 24, where a Kosovar police officer and three of the attackers were killed.
Official Belgrade denies any connection with the armed group that carried out the attack, the responsibility for which was taken by Milan Radojčič, former vice-president of the Serbian List, the largest political entity of the Serbs in Kosovo.
The United States of America and the European Union have asked Serbia for unconditional cooperation in the investigation of the attack.
The Croatian president emphasized that Vucic should be under pressure from legitimate interlocutors to give answers on those clear facts, which everyone can see.
He said that, however, the sanctions against Serbia would not affect, and could even push the leaders there to continue the same attitudes and actions.
“Croatia has made repeated calls for the recognition of Kosovo, respect for its sovereignty and membership in NATO, the EU and other international organizations. The recognition of Kosovo is a topic that should be addressed by several European countries and beyond. Kosovo is there, everyone knows it, but few mention it. Years pass, the same attitudes are said, but nothing changes with the recognition of Kosovo”, said President Milanovic.
While President Begaj emphasized that the European Union and NATO must firmly discourage Serbia’s provocative approach to Kosovo.
“The escalation situation should not continue to de-escalate. De-escalation of the situation in the north of Kosovo should be done by both countries, in order to maintain peace and guarantee security in our region. Dialogue is the only way to achieve the normalization of relations between the two states and to achieve the final recognition and undoubtedly the respect of minorities according to the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo”, said the President of Albania.
Both presidents affirmed that dialogue is the only way to their mutual recognition between Serbia and Kosovo.
Western diplomats have been trying to reduce tensions between Kosovo and Serbia.
In this context, the special envoys of the United States and the European Union, Gabriel Escobar and Miroslav Lajcak, together with the senior advisers of the leaders of Germany, France and Italy, are expected to stay this week in Kosovo and Serbia in an effort to encourage the parties towards implementation of the agreement reached in Brussels and the implementation annex in Ohrid at the beginning of this year.
President Begaj emphasized that after the September 24 attack in Banjska, things are no longer the same as before and the mediators of this dialogue must have a new approach.
“Every agreement signed in Brussels, as well as the recently agreed one, and the Ohrid annexes, are mandatory to be implemented by both countries. The dialogue and implementation of the European plan presented with the annexes in Ohrid is the solution for the north of Kosovo and for the entire relationship between Kosovo and Serbia”, said the President of Albania.
Mr. Begaj also spoke with concern about the violation of the rights of Albanians in the Presheva Valley, due to the passivation of their addresses.
He emphasized that the same European norms, which are respected for the Serbs of Kosovo, should be applied to the Albanians of the Presheva Valley.
Passivization of the addresses of Albanians, he said, leads to their deregistration, so it is a procedure that violates human rights, because together with the address, they are deprived of the right to vote, and many human rights related to health. education, investments.