US: Uncoordinated actions in northern Kosovo could create negative consequences in bilateral relations

The United States Embassy in Pristina expressed concern on Sunday about what it said was the sudden and uncoordinated closure of Serbia's Social Work offices in northern Kosovo, an action that it said could damage relations between the two countries.

In a reaction via social media, the US embassy said that "these and similar actions negatively affect thousands of Kosovo citizens and risk creating negative consequences for Kosovo's future in Europe and our bilateral relations."

The embassy's reaction followed Friday's operation by Kosovo police, which closed four branches of the Serbian Center for Social Work operating in the north of the country, under suspicion of document forgery and voter influence in the February 9 elections in Kosovo.

Police said the action followed the arrest of four officials of this center in Zubin Potok on February 8, on suspicion of the offense of "violating the will of voters."

According to the police, officials from the Center for Social Work are suspected of having used threats to force or instruct citizens on how to vote, making social assistance conditional on their vote in favor of a certain political party.

The police action prompted a reaction from Belgrade and political representatives of Serbs in Kosovo, who considered it escalating while demanding an international response to condemn, as they put it, "these movements that endanger the lives of thousands of social benefit users."

The Serbian List, the main Kosovo Serb entity supported by Belgrade, won the majority of Serb votes in Kosovo's parliamentary elections held nearly two weeks ago. The list is aiming to retain the 10 seats reserved for the Serb community in Kosovo's parliament.

The European Union Election Observation Mission, in its assessment report on the election process, said that many interlocutors reported pressure from members of the Serbian List on voters and that there was open and repeated interference from Serbia.

The parliamentary elections of February 9 also marked the return of members of the Serbian community to electoral processes in Kosovo after boycotting several past processes, such as the recent local elections./ VOA (A2 Televizion)