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Kosovo PM: EU ā€œbeing soft with Serbiaā€

Kosovo Prime Minister accuses EU of being soft on Serbian influence in the Balkans

The Prime Minister of Kosovo has said the EU is ā€œbeing soft with Serbiaā€ as the west attempts to disrupt historic ties between Belgrade and Moscow.
Speaking to the Ö÷²„“óŠć in Pristina, Albin Kurti warned that ā€œKosovo should not payā€ as the bloc tries ā€œmove (Serbia) out from the influence of the Kremlinā€.
Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo ā€“ already difficult - have ratcheted up in recent months.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February 2008, after years of strained relations between its Serb and mainly Kosovo Albanian inhabitants.
The territoryā€™s independence has been recognised by the United States and major EU countries, but Serbia, backed by Russia, refuses to do so, as do most ethnic Serbs inside Kosovo.
In May protestors clashed with Nato troops over the installation of ethnic Albanian mayors following controversial elections in majority Serb towns in Kosovoā€™s north.
Local officials had resigned their posts after Mr Kurtiā€™s government refused to create a long-promised Association of Serbian Municipalities.
In elections to replace the officials, boycotts by Kosovan Serbs saw a turnout of just three percent, prompting accusations that the new mayors lacked a democratic mandate.
The EU, UK and US have all urged the creation of the Association of Serbian Municipalities ā€“ but Kosovoā€™s government fears it will lead to a divided ā€˜state within a stateā€™ and the EU has even imposed economic sanctions on the territory.
Mr Kurti says the strong relationship between Kosovo and its allies is under threat because they are working to persuade Serbia to sever ties with Russia.
ā€œIf an autocrat is friends with Putin, for changing that a democratic country like Kosovo should not pay. The autocrat should payā€
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who has traditionally backed Moscow, condemned Russiaā€™s invasion on Ukraine but refused to impose sanctions, and has come under increasing pressure to change track.

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