Stano: Pristina should avoid actions that can contribute to tensions

BRUSSELS - European Commission spokesman Peter Stano said at a Brussels press briefing on Thursday the situation in Kosovo-Metohija was "pretty volatile" and that Pristina authorities should avoid any unilateral and uncoordinated actions and steps that could "contribute to increasing the tensions" and escalate the situation further.

Asked by Tanjug to comment on Pristina's latest moves and potential new pressure on Serbs after representatives of Serbian institutions in Kosovo-Metohija were summoned for questioning this week following a blockade of the institutions by the so-called Kosovo Police, Stano reiterated the EU was "in constant touch with the Kosovo counterparts at various levels in various formats, and we are delivering our messages and our expectations very clearly."

"I will not repeat what we said in our reaction last week, when the action in the north of Kosovo was conducted against some of the institutions run by the local Serbs there, but the bottom line is: We have an issue. We have a situation which is already pretty volatile, and our main concern is - and this is the main message to the Kosovo authorities - to avoid any actions and steps that are unilateral, uncoordinated and can contribute to increasing the tensions and escalate the situation even more," he said.

"So, we are engaging with the partners in Kosovo, we are delivering these messages and we hope to be able to finally try to solve these issues if necessary, to solve these issues where they belong, and they belong, first of all, in the framework of the EU-facilitated dialogue," he concluded.