European Union and US envoys Miroslav Lajcak and Gabriel Escobar told Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti that the situation in the north has to de-escalate before fresh local elections are held, the Beta news agency said.

“First the situation has to de-escalate, second, elections in the north and third a return to the dialogue to normalize relations,” Lajcak reportedly told reporters after the meeting. He said the talks with Kurti were long and difficult. “It’s in everyone’s interest to have legitimate mayors,” Lajcak said referring to the elections for mayors of northern majority-Serb municipalities which were boycotted by the Kosovo Serbs leading to the election of Albanian mayors with very few votes.

He recalled that sanctions on Kosovo are mentioned in a declaration by all EU member states waiting for a report from the envoys.

Escobar told reporters that the only request was for the international community to be heard and recalled that the US, EU and NATO made the same requests. The US envoy condemned the violence against KFOR troops in Zvecan and added that he is trying to find a formula for harmony among ethnic groups.

A press release by the Kosovo government said that Kurti exchanged views on the situation with Lajcak and Escobar as well as on ideas to de-escalate the situation in the north and the urgent need to implement the EU-proposed Basic Agreement and Implementation Annex.

“The Prime Minister said that the only way is to immediately stop the attacks by violent extremists and criminal groups on domestic and international security agencies and journalists. He called Brussels and Washington to call for an end to the violence and the processing and punishment for its perpetrators,” the press release said.

It quoted Kurti as saying that law and order would certainly lower the number of police officers in municipal administration buildings in all three municipalities. “Prime Minister Kurti expressed unreserved readiness and support for an intensive joint engagement to de-escalate the situation and normalize relations,” it said.