Ursula von der Leyen Calls for De-escalation Over License Plate Dispute Ahead of EU-Western Balkans Summit
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, on a regional tour ahead of the EU-Western Balkans summit scheduled for October 6, urged Kosovo and Serbia to settle their ongoing disputes through dialogue. Speaking in Kosovo’s capital, Pristina, von der Leyen emphasized the importance of normalizing relations between the two countries, particularly in light of recent tensions over a license plate dispute.
At a press conference with Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti, von der Leyen highlighted that the EU-facilitated dialogue is the “only platform” for resolving the current crisis. The call for de-escalation comes after Kosovo’s government deployed special police forces to border crossings last week, enforcing a new rule that required removing Serbian license plates from vehicles entering the country. Kosovo argued that this move was in response to a decade-old agreement’s expiration and mirrored Serbia’s similar actions over the past ten years.
Meanwhile, representatives from both Kosovo and Serbia met in Brussels on Wednesday for discussions led by EU envoy Miroslav Lajcak, signaling a continued effort to ease tensions and reach a mutually agreeable solution.