Kosovo government head also stated that Serbia should commit to withdrawing violent protesters from the municipal buildings and surrounding areas and cooperating in detention and judicial processing violence perpetrators.

In a Facebook post in English, Kosovo PM said that urgent actions are needed to avoid escalation of the situation in the north.

He said that Kosovo government is ready to decrease police presence in and around municipal buildings gradually in proportion to reduction in violence; organize early elections in the four northern municipalities when triggered by a recall petition supported by at least 20 percent of the electorate, as foreseen by Kosovo law.

“The Republic of Kosova is keen to contribute to de-escalation. We believe that urgent action should be taken towards this aim, and we are eager and ready to commit to concrete steps that support the goals of de-escalation and stability in the region,” Kurti said.

More specifically, the steps Kosovo government deems necessary and is ready to commit to are the following:

1) Decrease Kosova Police presence in and around municipal buildings gradually in proportion to reduction in violence;

2) Provide full access and monitoring, by EULEX and interested Human Rights NGOs, of judicial proceedings in relation to perpetrators of violence;

3) Organize early elections in the four northern municipalities when triggered by a recall petition supported by at least 20 percent of the electorate, as foreseen by Kosova law. Election date is to be set following a confirmation of having met the recall requirements by the President;

4) Instruct subsequently the four mayors in question to hand over their authority to the newly elected mayors after certification by the CEC in accordance with Kosova law.

Meanwhile, from Serbia we expect the following:

1) Withdraw violent protesters from the municipal buildings and surrounding areas;

2) Pledge to cooperate in detention and judicial processing of offenders by Kosova with EULEX monitoring and full due process guarantees;

3) Reduce readiness of the armed forces to a low level, no new troop movements, removal of 48 Forward Operating Bases situated along the border.

4) Refrain from impeding or interfering with the right of ethnic Serb citizens and of all political parties to freely participate, without intimidation, coercion, or corrupt influence, in the local electoral process.

Both parties, Kosova and Serbia, pledge to fully respect Berlin Process Common Regional Market rules and compliance with the EU acquis on free regional trade according to established agreements.

Kurti restated Kosovo’s commitment to an intensive dialogue for a full, unconditional, balanced and fairly sequenced implementation of Basic Agreement and its Implementation Annex.

/u.sh/