Kosovo has rejected Quint’s proposal for a solution for Kosovo Serbs in the April 3rd elections in Serbia, confirmed Peter Stano, a spokesman for the European Union (EU).
“Although we admit that Serbia was ready to find a solution – we regret that the consensus between the parties was not reached in the end after Kosovo’s decision to reject the constructive proposal they made from Quinto,” Stano told a news conference.
He said that this decision is contrary to its commitment to the European path and democratic future, and contrary to the principle of protecting the democratic rights of all its citizens, including those belonging to the non-majority population.
He said that the EU now expects Kosovo and Serbia to refrain from actions and rhetoric that could increase tensions, and called on both sides to act responsibly and engage constructively in the ongoing dialogue talks.
According to Stan, the EU has been very active with Quint in finding a solution to the voting rights of Kosovo citizens who have dual citizenship.
He confirmed that the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borelj, was also involved in contacts with Belgrade and Pristina, in order to find an acceptable practical solution, “using analogies from previous practices that were determined in previous votes.”
As European officials confirmed to Radio Free Europe, the issue of Kosovo Serbs voting in Serbia’s parliamentary and presidential elections is now “closed”.
The last parliamentary elections, which Serbia organized in Serbian communities in Kosovo, were held on June 21, 2020.
At that time, according to the established practice, the mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Kosovo was collecting ballots. This practice of collecting ballots was established in 2017, and there was permission from the Kosovo authorities to do so.