Kosovo

The European Union's newly appointed special envoy to Serbia-Kosovo talks says he is committed to resolving all of the Balkan neighbors' outstanding disputes. In statements to RFE/RL on April 17, Ambassador Miroslav Lajcak stressed there was only one EU-moderated Pristina-Belgrade dialogue but said he would also continue to work closely with his U.S. counterparts.

Kosovo’s caretaker prime minister has assured a European Union special envoy of his commitment to resume dialogue on normalizing ties with neighboring Serbia.

As Kosovo President Hashim Thaci launched talks with party leaders on the way ahead after the recent no-confidence vote in the government, outgoing Prime Minister Albin Kurti appeared isolated in calling for new elections.

Former Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak is expected to become this week the European Union special representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and the Western Balkans.

The government of Kosovo has collapsed after a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Albin Kurti was backed by a majority of MPs. The vote was brought by a junior coalition partner angered by Mr Kurti's approach to tackling the coronavirus outbreak. It comes only two months after the government was sworn in.

Kosovo’s government was toppled by a no-confidence vote Wednesday (25 March) less than two months after coming to power, plunging the unstable democracy into political uncertainty as it tries to halt the spread of coronavirus. … While the US ambassador welcomed debate over the no-confidence motion, France and Germany spoke out against it, urging “political unity” to combat the health crisis.

A bilateral U.S. foreign aid agency that specializes in development assistance in Kosovo has announced its suspension of a program to help boost prospects for economic growth in that decade-old Balkan state until Pristina "resolves" its "tariff issue" with neighbor Serbia.

Kosovar President Hashim Thaci says he has met with his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, at the White House to discuss ways to reach a "final agreement" between the two Balkan countries.

[…] In a tweet late on February 27, Richard Grenell, who also serves as U.S. ambassador to Germany and has recently been appointed as President Donald Trump's intelligence chief, called the move a “half measure.”