After the US sanctions against Kosovo, comes the immediate reaction of the chairman of the LDK

After the decision of the United States of America to interrupt the joint military exercises "Defender 23" that were being held in Kosovo, the Democratic League of Kosovo in the opposition has said that "the Government is falling into Serbia's trap".

"The reactions of friendly countries against the institutions of Kosovo, the reactions of the USA, Germany, France, the EU and NATO, prove the difficult diplomatic and strategic position in which Kosovo is. Kosovo has never been in such a position before", says the LDK's reaction.

This party has expressed concern towards the Government of Kosovo and has criticized the lack of coordination with international allies, and has called on it to choose "the Euro-Atlantic future, to choose political prudence before short-term populism".

"Instead of the euphoria of the party groups, choose the established Euro-Atlantic path of the state together with its allies", said the LDK and underlined that "deviation from such a path is a deviation from the Euro-Atlantic path itself, as well as a service to oneself the opponent of our state".
This party, the third largest in Kosovo, has said that it will not allow "at any cost, no politician and no Government, to endanger the foundations of citizenship".

Earlier in the day, the American ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, said that the Government of Kosovo has not coordinated with the United States for the actions taken in the north and, therefore, has suffered the first consequence: "the Defender Europe 2023 exercises have received end" for him".

Hovenier made the comments in a meeting with a group of journalists in Pristina.

He referred to the decision of the Government of Kosovo to forcibly install the Albanian mayors of the Serbian-majority municipalities in the north of the country - Zveçan, Zubin Potok and Leposaviq - despite the constant resistance of local residents, which resulted in violence.

"When we found out, we reacted strongly against it. The [Government's] decision has had a negative impact on Kosovo's reputation and has set back efforts to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia," said Hovenier.

Ai citoi sekretarin amerikan të Shtetit, Antony Blinken, i cili paralajmëroi se këto veprime do të ndikojnë në marrëdhëniet SHBA-Kosovë, dhe tha se anulimi i pjesëmarrjes së Kosovës në stërvitjet “Defender Europe 2023” është pasoja e parë për Qeverinë e Kosovës në këtë drejtim.

Që nga 26 maji, në veri të Kosovës janë rritur tensionet, pasi po atë ditë, krerët e rinj të Zveçanit, Leposaviqit dhe Zubin Potokut u futën në ndërtesat komunale nën përcjelljen e Policisë së Kosovës.

Bashkësia ndërkombëtare ka dënuar ashpër “hyrjen me forcë” të krerëve të rinj komunalë dhe ka kërkuar nga autoritetet e Kosovës të shtensionojnë menjëherë situatën.

Shefi i diplomacisë së Bashkimit Evropian, Josep Borrell, më 30 maj kërkoi nga Kosova që të pezullojë operacionet policore rreth ndërtesave komunale në veri, në mënyrë që, sipas tij, të ulen tensionet në këtë pjesë.

Previously, the Government of Kosovo has defended its decision to take the new mayors to the municipal buildings, while for the violence in Zveçan it has blamed Belgrade for "leading the extremist crowd"./REL