Kosovo PM Kurti hints at new mayoral vote amid tensions

Prime Minister Albin Kurti has suggested that fresh mayoral elections could be held amid tensions in Serb-populated areas in Kosovo's north.

Serb protesters have clashed with the police and NATO-led peacekeepers  in northern Kosovo after the Kosovo officials tried to install new mayors following local elections that Serbs boycotted. Ethnic Albanians make up just over 90% of Kosovo's population, but parts of the north are overwhelmingly inhabited by Serbs.

On Thursday, Kurti seemed to indicate that he is willing to give ground in the dispute.

"Full implementation of the (Brussels) Agreement is the way toward de-escalation until new elections," Kurti tweeted, referring to an EU-brokered agreement for the normalization of ties between Serbia and Kosovo.

He also called for the removal of "violent mobs" from municipal buildings.

Kurti said that he made the tweets following discussions with US lawmakers and deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer.

The comments also came after French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for new elections to be held in northern Kosovo as soon as possible.

The US, Kosovo's most important ally, previously said it has already started introducing sanctions, such as excluding Kosovo from NATO-led military drills. Washington threatened further measures, including stopping lobbying for Kosovo's international recognition and halting US trips by Kosovo leaders.

What else did Kurti say?

While speaking in parliament, Kurti accused Belgrade of organizing clashes between Kosovo Serbs and NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers.

"The escalation of the situation on May 29 was planned, well-organized and had an author," Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti told lawmakers gathered in Pristina.

"The author is official Belgrade," he declared.

More than 80 people were injured in the northern Kosovo town of Zvecan on Monday after Serb protesters clashed with peacekeepers in front of the town hall.

Kurti claimed that Serbia had "mobilized criminal groups" to provoke the skirmish. He said that many Serbs in northern Kosovo were "forced (by Belgrade) to serve as human shields for such criminal attacks."

Kosovo's prime minister said that demonstrations had allowed authorities to carry out "identification" of protesters, and read out a list of names of alleged organizers.

The US sanctions are "worrying," Kurti told Kosovo's KTV broadcaster. "But more worrying are the fascist militias in the north," he added, in an apparent reference to Serb protesters.

Opposition criticizes PM on north

Kosovo opposition parties on Friday blamed Kurti for deteriorating relations with Western allies.

The criticism comes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for Pristina and Belgrade to defuse tensions and suggested that the crisis would impede Kosovo's path toward Euro-Atlantic integration.

"You are playing with fire," Democratic Party of Kosovo lawmaker Memli Krasniqi said, addressing the prime minister in parliament.

"If the cost is to endanger the relations with Kosovo's biggest allies after sanctions have started already I want to ask you is it worth it?" he asked.

Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the right-wing Alliance for the Future of Kosovo party and the former prime minister, called for a no-confidence motion against Kurti.

"Let's... stop this mistrust, humiliation, lies and treason by dismissing Kurti's government," he said.

sdi/dj (Reuters, AFP, Beta)