Davor Ivo Stier, the Croatian Member of the European Parliament and Chairman of the EU delegation for relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, spoke about the November 29th attack in Zubin Potok during an interview on Euronews Albania. He expressed full support for Kosovo’s authorities in investigating the incident.
Stier reiterated the EU’s stance on Kosovo’s stability, asserting that the European Union will not allow any destabilization of the country. “We issued a statement from the European Parliament delegation for Kosovo, which was a joint statement with the EU Parliament’s rapporteur for Kosovo-Serbia relations. We expressed our solidarity with all citizens of Kosovo and support for local authorities in conducting a comprehensive investigation into this terrorist attack and bringing the responsible individuals to justice,” Stier emphasized. He added that sending a message of solidarity is crucial, but so is making it clear that the EU will not allow Kosovo’s destabilization.
Stier was also asked about the attack in Banjskë, to which he responded by stressing that Serbia must hold those responsible accountable. “We continue to insist that the Serbian authorities bring the responsible individuals for the Banjskë attack to justice. This issue remains unresolved. Just yesterday, we made a joint recommendation in the European Parliament calling on Serbian authorities to fulfill their duties and hold those responsible for preparing the attack accountable. This is crucial not only for the stability of Kosovo-Serbia relations but also for the security of the entire Western Balkans region. The European Commission is committed to using all available tools to ensure that Serbia meets its obligations, including allowing Kosovo to join international organizations,” Stier said.
He also touched upon the EU’s measures against Kosovo, arguing that they should be lifted. “The European Parliament has been clear from the start that we cannot have an unbalanced approach towards Serbia and Kosovo. There should not be measures against Kosovo that were not applied to Serbia despite the Banjskë attack. The recommendations we approved yesterday call for the immediate removal of any measures against Kosovo, as we seek a fair and balanced approach towards both countries. Otherwise, there cannot be normalization in their relations. I believe that Commissioner Kaja Kallas shares the same opinion, and now it is up to the member states to approve this provision. I believe the majority of members of the European Parliament support this initiative,” Stier stated.
Stier also addressed the stance of the new US administration under President Donald Trump regarding the idea of a territorial exchange between Kosovo and Serbia. “Last week, I was in Washington at a meeting of right-wing parties in the international democratic union and met with numerous members of Congress and the Senate, including the National Security Advisor Mike Walls in Trump’s new administration. I did not see any indication that the new administration is moving towards such an approach. They are not interested in establishing peace by force,” Stier said. He noted that Senator Marco Rubio had communicated a similar message, further indicating that US policy does not support such a solution.
