Lajcak welcomes decision to withdraw 25 pct of Pristina's police from north Kosovo

BRUSSELS - The EU special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak has welcomed a decision to withdraw 25 pct of so-called Kosovo Police troops deployed in and around municipal buildings in the north of Kosovo-Metohija, made at a meeting of representatives of the so-called Kosovo Police, Eulex and Kfor in Bratislava.

"I welcome today’s first joint security assessment between Kosovo Police, EULEX and KFOR as agreed in Bratislava. This is an important step towards full de-escalation of the tensions in the north of Kosovo," Lajcak wrote in a post on the social media network X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday.

The so-called Kosovo Police announced earlier in the day the situation in and around the municipal buildings was good and that the withdrawal was due to begin on Friday.

The reduction of police presence in the north is a commitment from an agreement reached by Lajcak and Pristina's Deputy PM Besnik Bislimi in Bratislava in early July.

The agreement also envisions new local elections in four municipalities in the north of Kosovo-Metohija.