Rama and Plenković call for measures against Serbia over violence in Kosovo

(Patria) - Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania Edi Rama is on an official visit to Croatia. He was received by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković at the Banski dvori.

The two prime ministers called for measures against Serbia over the violence in Kosovo.

They strongly condemned the violence of Serbian paramilitary units in northern Kosovo, as well as their glorification by Belgrade, calling for measures by the EU and the West against Serbia over this.

About thirty heavily armed members of Serbian paramilitary units on Sunday, September 24, in the village of Banjska in northern Kosovo killed a Kosovo police officer. Kosovo security forces eliminated three Serbian attackers in the fight, for which Belgrade declared a day of mourning.

Rama said that the aggression of the paramilitary forces is as concerning as Belgrade's reaction.

"We have a crime, the murder of a police officer, and we have the glorification of those who committed it," said the Albanian Prime Minister, emphasizing that this must not be acceptable in Europe, which cherishes opposite values.

Plenković stressed that these moves cannot remain without a response and that Belgrade's decision on a day of mourning almost implies identification with what happened. He emphasized that an investigation will follow to fully determine what happened, after which the EU's special envoy for the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue will propose measures.

The European Commission (EC) can also autonomously adopt measures, without the consent of all member states, as it did a few months ago against Kosovo. Due to non-compliance with EU demands, the EC took measures against Pristina, including suspending work in working bodies under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, withdrawing invitations to high-level meetings, and suspending Kosovo from its 7.5 billion euro program.

The Croatian Prime Minister emphasized that he is confident that measures will be taken, and Rama pointed out that they should be implemented without wasting time because Belgrade's decision on a day of mourning leaves no room for different interpretations.