The EU has called Serbian and Kosovan leaders to Brussels for crisis talks after raised tensions sparked fears of violence between the two countries.
EU leaders have already intervened on several occasions in recent weeks to try and de-escalate the situation but, after the arrest of Kosovan police officers by Serbia earlier this week, want face-to-face talks.
“In the light of ongoing escalation and the lack of meaningful steps towards this coalition we invited both leaders from Serbia, from Kosovo to come to Brussels next week for a crisis meeting,” said a spokesperson for Josep Borrell, the European Commission’s high representative for foreign policy.
The invitation was issued to the Kosovan prime minister, Albin Kurti, and the Serbian president, Aleksandar Vučić, he added.
Tensions mounted last month between the countries after Pristina’s decision to install ethnic Albanian mayors in four Serb-majority municipalities.
They were allowed take office despite a turnout of lower than 3.5% in elections that were boycotted by the Serbian majority in the region.
Two weeks ago, the French and German leaders Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz urged Kosovo to hold fresh elections to halt the crisis after a standoff between the two countries’ leaders at a political summit in Moldova.
Concerns about the tensions were heightened this week when three Kosovan police officers were detained near the Serbian border.
Kurti accused Serbia of trying to take revenge for the arrest of a Serb who allegedly organised the violence that injured more than 20 Nato troops, journalists and police on 29 May.
Serbia denied Kosovo’s claim that the officers were “kidnapped”, saying the men were apprehended in Serbia.
Borrell’s spokesperson said: “We are aware of the arrest of Kosovo policemen, by Serbian authorities. We are in touch with both parties and Kfor [the Nato-led peacekeeping force] in order to find out exactly what happened and how it happened. It is very important to have clarification of what happened and how it happened.
“Until then, we are urging both sides not to take any more action or reaction that could further fuel the already tense situation.”
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Belgrade and its allies Beijing and Moscow have refused to recognise it, effectively preventing Kosovo from having a seat at the UN.
