The US State Department expressed disappointment in the actions of the Kosovo Police in financial institutions in the northern part of Kosovo. He emphasized that these actions were not coordinated with international partners and lead to an escalation of tensions, the portal Kosovo Online and BTA reported.
"Issues related to these affiliates have been the subject of lengthy discussions within the dialogue led by the European Union. This operation was not coordinated with international partners and escalated tensions, a State Department spokesman told Voice of America after members of the Kosovo Police raided and closed branches of the Serbian Post Bank (Postanska Stedionica) in four municipalities yesterday with a Serbian majority in Northern Kosovo.
The State Department stressed that this "undermines the perception of Pristina's good faith in resolving outstanding issues” with Belgrade through the dialogue led by the EU. The State Department added that the US government has repeatedly called on Pristina to coordinate to support its progress on the Euro-Atlantic path, most recently by Deputy Secretary of State Elizabeth Allen in a meeting with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti on 19 may.
The State Department also expressed US concern over the implementation of the central bank regulation in Pristina that restricts the use of dinars in Kosovo.
"We call on the Government of Kosovo to return to constructive engagement in the EU-mediated dialogue as an appropriate channel to resolve issues related to the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia and to address the basic needs of all its citizens , including those from the Serbian minority negatively affected by recent changes in currency regulations, the State Department said.
Kosovo police yesterday raided and closed Post Bank branches in four municipalities in northern Kosovo, while citizens were trying to withdraw pensions and social benefits.
Igor Radich, director of the Post Bank branch in Severna Mitrovica, was detained and later released.
Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević said that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, with the raid of the special police in the branches of the Post Bank in Northern Kosovo, showed that he was desperate because his "founders" they have not yet allowed Kosovo to enter the Council of Europe. The director of the Office for Kosovo in the Serbian government, Petar Petkovic, pointed out that the raid on the Post Bank branches was "an escalating move by Pristina aimed at causing disorder and chaos and eliminating Serbian institutions in Kosovo.