The American ambassador in Kosovo, Jeff Hovenier, met with the chairman of the Serbian List, Goran Rakic, to whom, as he said, he reminded him of the positions of the US on several issues, including that of the vice president of this party, Milan Radoiciq.
The August 4 meeting was held after the events of the last few days in the north, where on July 31, local Serbs set up barricades on the two roads leading to the border points – Jarinje and Bernjak – connecting Kosovo and Serbia.
This protest followed the decision of the Government of Kosovo to establish reciprocity for the entry of citizens of Serbia into Kosovo, as well as the possibility of re-registration of cars with license plates of cities in Kosovo – which are issued by the authorities of Serbia – with those of the RKS, which will to be implemented from August 1.
After the tensions, roadblocks in the north and international intervention, Kosovo agreed to postpone the release of forms for Serbian citizens until the beginning of September, as well as the two-month period for re-registration of license plates.
The American ambassador, Hovenier, after the meeting with Rakiq, said that the measures of reciprocity are legitimate and that the Brussels meeting between the leaders of both countries should help reduce tensions.
“I remembered some of the positions of the USA on some of the issues that include reciprocity measures that the Government of Kosovo wanted to establish. From our point of view, they are in line with the Brussels agreements and are legitimate”, said Ambassador Hovenier.
“We also talked about the importance of making sure that the concerns of the Kosovo Serb community are included in these talks and are an element of how things will proceed,” said Hovenier.
The ambassador said that in the meeting between the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti in Brussels, later this month, they should look at how to reduce tensions in some of the issues.
Hovenier reiterated the US position on Milan Radoicic.
“I have to remind people that, from the perspective of the United States, Mr. Milan Radoicic has been sanctioned by the United States Treasury based on our information about his ties to transnational organized crime and corruption. I told him that, you know, the United States’ view of this individual is already known,” Hovenier emphasized.
A day earlier, Lista Serbe said that Radoicic was present on July 31 at the barricades erected in this part of the country.
Radoicic is wanted by the authorities in Kosovo for suspicions that he was involved in the intimidation of witnesses in the case known as “Brezovica”.
