We call on everyone to exercise maximum restraint, to take immediate action to unconditionally de-escalate the situation, and to refrain from provocations, threats, or intimidation.

The United States expresses its deep concern about the current situation in the north of Kosovo. We understand that Kosovan authorities have detained an individual suspected of involvement in a violent attack on Kosovan law enforcement and electoral commission authorities. This arrest is being used as a justification for illegal roadblocks as well as threats …

The Embassies of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States and the EU Office/ EUSR welcome the decision by the Kosovan government and the political party leaders to postpone the municipal and mayoral elections in the four northern municipalities at this time.  This constructive decision advances efforts to promote a more secure situation …

In May 2016, the Kosovo Constitutional Court confirmed the Decani Monastery’s ownership of several hectares of land. Despite this lawful decision and subsequent petitions, the Court’s decision has not yet been implemented.

The Heads of Mission of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union take note of the planned demonstrations today and express concern at the risk of escalation or violence. Citizens have a right to peaceful assembly as well as a responsibility to ensure that such gatherings are peaceful and …

The following is the text of a joint statement by the Governments of the United States of America and France, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom. France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States have intensely engaged with the governments of Kosovo and Serbia in the past months in order to find a …

During the week of March 14, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall led a U.S. delegation to Pristina, Kosovo. During the visit, Dr. Sherwood-Randall met with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu and Prime Minister Albin Kurti and visited Camp Liya and Camp Bondsteel. Dr. Sherwood-Randall reiterated the United States’steadfast commitment to Kosovo’s sovereignty, territorial …

U.S. Donates Another Half a Million Pfizer Vaccine Doses to Protect Kosovans; Total U.S. Donated Doses Now Exceed 1 Million. The U.S. has provided approximately $10 million in other pandemic-related assistance to bolster Kosovo’s pandemic response.

The United States welcomes Serbia’s January 16 national referendum in which citizens approved constitutional amendments aimed at judicial reform. These amendments are a significant step towards depoliticizing Serbia’s judiciary in alignment with European standards and will support Serbia’s EU accession process. We encourage the Serbian government to continue to strengthen democracy in the country through …

France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union welcome Serbia’s January 16 national referendum on constitutional changes as a key step to strengthen the independence of the judiciary and to enhance the transparency and effectiveness of the country’s rule of law institutions. We believe that these reforms are a step …

In line with this week’s Summit for Democracy goals, the United States is imposing sanctions today on 17 individuals and 24 entities in several countries in Europe and the Western Hemisphere.  These sanctions target perpetrators of corruption pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.

The Heads of Mission of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States remain concerned that despite repeated urging from the international community and its own judiciary, Kosovan institutions have still not fully implemented the lawful registration of the Decani Monastery’s land, in line with the 2016 Constitutional Court decision.

The Heads of Mission of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States take note of and welcome the Kosovo Constitutional Court’s 24 September unanimous statement regarding non-implementation of its prior decisions, including its 2016 decision on registering the Decani Monastery’s land. It is concerning that Kosovo’s Constitutional Court is compelled to remind …

Today’s shipment is part of President Biden’s commitment to share COVID-19 vaccine doses from U.S. domestic supplies to support global needs. Because no country can defeat COVID-19 alone, the United States initially committed in June to share 80 million vaccine doses with the world.

The United States is grateful to Kosovo for its role in assisting with the enormous task of relocating tens of thousands of Afghan citizens to the United States and to other countries, including NATO partners, that have offered permanent homes to Afghans at risk.   Kosovo’s role in this endeavor is a tribute to the compassion and …

Today’s shipment is part of President Biden’s commitment to share COVID-19 vaccine doses from U.S. domestic supplies to support global needs. Because no country can defeat COVID-19 alone, the United States initially committed in June to share 80 million vaccine doses with the world. As of August 3, we have donated and shipped over 110 …

We’re committed to promoting democracy, transparency and accountability across the Western Balkans, consistent with standards countries of the region must meet to advance on their European path. Today’s E.O. is a vital tool toward achieving this shared goal.

On 22 March, a new Government was appointed with a strong mandate of reform and respect for the rule of law.  One key test of its resolve will be the implementation of the May 2016 Kosovo Constitutional Court decision on registering the Decani Monastery’s land. Respecting the rule of law is an obligation for all …

This year marks the 23rd release of the International Religious Freedom Report, documenting the state of religious freedom in nearly 200 countries and territories.  The Biden Administration is deeply committed to promoting and protecting universal respect for freedom of religion or belief for all.  The right to exercise one’s freedom of religion or belief has …

The Ambassadors of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States congratulate the new government and Assembly and urge all political parties to play a responsible role in recognising the results of the 14 February election as a mandate from the people for effective government. In this time of pandemic and economic challenges, …

The United States Embassy is proud to support the “Future in Our Hands” multimedia public service announcement (PSA) campaign. This campaign, which launched in September 2020, highlights how everyone living in Kosovo can play a role through active civic engagement in building and ensuring a peaceful, just, and prosperous future. Change is only possible when …

On January 25, the Quint Ambassadors met with the Chairwoman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) to express our continued commitment to free, fair, safe, and peaceful elections on February 14, and to share our election monitoring plans. While the pandemic has created additional challenges, we are confident of CEC’s capability to oversee the elections. We continue …

On December 31, Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Philip S. Kosnett signed a new Investment Incentive Agreement (IIA) enabling the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), America’s development bank, to deploy its full range of financial products in Kosovo.

The United States calls on all parties and institutions in Kosovo to respect the decisions of the Constitutional Court, and to ensure that the citizens of Kosovo are able to choose their representatives through free, fair, peaceful elections.

On December 14, Ambassador-at-Large for the Office of Global Criminal Justice Morse H. Tan and Ambassador Kosnett met with Chief State Prosecutor Aleksander Lumezi, and prosecutors from the War Crimes Department of the Special Prosecution Office in Kosovo (SPRK), including Chief Blerim Isufaj. Both Ambassadors reiterated the United States commitment to bringing all war criminals …

For years, the U.S. Embassy has played a monitoring and mentoring role in the processes to elect new Kosovo Prosecutorial Council (KPC) members and to select Chief Prosecutors. Unfortunately, we believe these processes are now fundamentally broken. They lack transparency and are subject to increasing conflicts of interest. Since further Embassy involvement could be misinterpreted …

The Embassies of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States call on the Government and Assembly of Kosovo to oppose any attempts to undermine or discredit the mission of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) and the Specialist Chambers Prosecution Office (SPO), and to ensure that they can carry out their mission in …

The United States Embassy Pristina turned over eight temperature (thermo) scanners to support Kosovo’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. These scanners, a USAID donation, will be placed at Kosovo’s border entry points, including Pristina airport and four land border crossings.

The United States Embassy, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has donated 50 brand-new, state-of-the-art ventilators to Kosovo to assist its fight against COVID-19. The donation delivers on President Trump’s generous offer of these critically needed supplies and supports Kosovo’s urgent response to the pandemic.

Toward a more transparent and accessible judiciary, July 8, 2020 Pristina, July 8, 2020 – The court service fees and criminal fines calculators will be online on Kosovo’s Judicial Council (KJC) website as of today. The innovative, easy-to-use calculators enable Kosovo’s citizens to estimate the costs of service fees and criminal fines from the convenience …

We call on Kosovo’s political leaders to debate the many challenges and opportunities facing Kosovo without recourse to insults and threats.  Kosovo’s democratic future depends on the ability of its leaders to set a positive example of civil discourse and respect for freedom of expression. Any form of inflammatory language, particularly personal attacks intended to …

The U.S. Embassy in Pristina is proud to announce it has supported the establishment of a new BONEVET center in Mitrovica with a grant of $248,000. This center will be the fourth of its kind in Kosovo.

The United States calls on all institutions and political parties to implement today’s ruling and all decisions of Kosovo’s Constitutional Court.  We ask all leaders to work together for an orderly transition in the interest of peace, stability, and prosperity for all the people of Kosovo.

The U.S. has encouraged and continues to support regional cooperation to support the wellbeing of citizens – including in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. We call on all parties to avoid politicized rhetoric and to unite around practical solutions to facilitate the freedom of movement of medical supplies and personnel to monitor affected communities. …

The Embassies of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States would like to note that we take meetings with political and institutional leaders to hear their views and receive information, so that we may keep our governments informed of developments. Attending such meetings does not signal endorsement or support for a particular …

USAID AND UNICEF ENSURE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES IN NEED DURING COVID 19 Pristina, April 23, 2020 – Today, United States Ambassador to Kosovo Philip S. Kosnett, acting Minister of Health Arben Vitia and UN Coordinator for Kosovo Ulrika Richardson visited the distribution center of the Red Cross in Pristina. The visit marked the official …

The U.S. Embassy congratulates Kosovo on reaching agreement with ENTSO-e and the members of the Continental Europe Regional Group on terms for connecting to the European electric grid. Approval of this agreement brings to fruition a project begun in 2013 to bring greater energy security to the region. The United States has encouraged the parties …

The United States has been clear that Kosovo should drop all tariffs and not create new barriers because these policies hurt the people of Kosovo and strangle Kosovo’s own economy. We remain opposed to the latest move to implement reciprocal measures on the movement of goods from Serbia. These measures create more problems at a …

The United States stands with the people of Kosovo.  We commend the continued efforts of the health professionals and others who are working hard, at great risk, to reduce the progress of COVID-19 in Kosovo.  In this time of uncertainty, we urge Kosovo’s leaders to follow Kosovo’s Constitution and the rule of law. We are committed …

Pleased to see the Assembly will hold a session on the no-confidence vote tomorrow.   As I told the PM today, it is important for the Assembly and all Kosovo institutions to respect the Constitution.

At this difficult time, we call on all institutional and political leaders to focus on COVID-19 respecting the provisions of the Constitution and the powers that are granted to them through the Constitution. We urge them to preserve and ensure the integrity and functionality of Kosovo’s government and institutions at this critical moment and to prioritize the fight against COVID-19 in Kosovo over politics, noting …

In times like these, regional and international cooperation is vital.  It’s time for Kosovo and neighbors to end barriers to free flow of goods.  We again urge the Government of Kosovo to take the bold first step and lift the tariffs now.

Viruses know no borders.  Now is not the time to let domestic and regional political differences keep us from helping one another in this collective time of need.  As President Trump recently said, “We are all in this together. We must put politics aside, stop the partisanship, and unify together as one nation and one …

Readout of Deputy Secretary of Defense David L. Norquist’s Meeting With Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi, FEB. 26, 2020 Principle Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Charles E. Summers provided the following readout: Deputy Secretary of Defense David L. Norquist met today with Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi in the Pentagon. The Deputy …

In light of recent speculation, we would like to clarify our position with regard to the process of government formation in Kosovo.  As noted in our statement of August 30 2019, “We represent nations deeply committed to a democratic and independent Kosovo.  Any suggestion that our governments support a particular party or candidate in the …

Twenty-one years ago, the massacre that occurred in Recak eventually prompted NATO allies to intervene and end a humanitarian catastrophe.

The U.S. Embassy welcomes the constitution of the Kosovo Assembly and congratulates Speaker Glauk Konjufca, other members of the Assembly Presidency and all Members.  We encourage political leaders to form a new government immediately that is committed to fulfill the mandate of the voters.  We look forward to working with the new government on pressing …

Today, the United States committed an additional $5 million to clear cluster munitions and other explosive remnants of war (ERW) in Kosovo.  Set to be implemented over four years (2020-2023), this assistance is expected to return at least 4,298,442 million square meters (1,060 acres) of hazardous land back to the people of Kosovo.  This is …

The U.S. government does not endorse or support any political party or candidates in this week’s election. We respect the right and responsibility of the voters of Kosovo to choose their future.

The upcoming election is a crucial opportunity for the citizens of Kosovo to decide the direction of the country.  Kosovo citizens deserve the promise of a peaceful, prosperous future, and the only way to secure this future is through the will of the Kosovo people expressed in these elections. 

We call on Kosovo and Serbia to restart the EU-led Dialogue with urgency and ask that both parties avoid actions that will hinder a final agreement, which is necessary for both countries to achieve greater Euro-Atlantic integration and its accompanying benefits.

The Embassies of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States take note of the elections on May 19, 2019.  We note that the election day itself appears to have taken place in an atmosphere of calm. 

Kosovo citizens deserve a justice system that holds individuals accountable for their corrupt actions. In this regard, the U.S. Embassy is taking steps to ensure that individuals involved in major corruption cases are not issued visas that would allow them to travel to the United States for business or tourism. 

The U.S. Embassy congratulates the Elections Complaint and Appeal Panel (ECAP) for its decision to certify all eligible candidates for the May 19 mayoral elections in four northern municipalities, and commends the Central Election Commission (CEC) for its quick action to confirm the ECAP decision and proceed with activities related to the extraordinary elections in …

The United States commends Kosovo on the return of 110 of their citizens from Syria:  four of them alleged ISIS fighters and the rest women and children.  With this repatriation, Kosovo has set an important example for all members of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and the international community to follow.  We applaud their …

As Kosovo commemorates the 20th anniversary of wartime atrocities, the U.S. Embassy extends sincere condolences to the families of victims.   Denying that atrocities occurred insults the memory of victims, further traumatizes families, and undermines progress in building a democratic, multi-ethnic state.  We also urge Kosovo’s leaders from all communities to refrain from incendiary rhetoric.  A …

We are concerned with the more than year-long delay in appointing ten representatives to the Central Election Commission (CEC).  The failure to make appointments has left the CEC unable to perform its basic functions; over 30 municipal assembly members and one member of the Kosovo Assembly have been unable to assume their duties due to the …

The United States reaffirms its support for the gradual transition of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) to a force with a territorial defense mandate, as is Kosovo’s sovereign right. 

The Kosovo Police is a fully integrated and capable institution, with a demonstrated record of helping dismantle international terrorist, cybercriminal, narcotics, arms, and human smuggling networks.  “A majority of countries saw this and supported Kosovo’s application to join INTERPOL, in the face of a campaign, led by Serbia, to pressure countries to oppose Kosovo’s bid..  …

Congratulations to the people of Kosovo on the ratification of the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro.  Ratification is an important achievement that affirms Kosovo’s place in Europe.  Each member of parliament who voted to ratify this agreement can be proud to know you have done the right and courageous thing for the good of your …

The United States is deeply concerned by recent attempts in the Kosovo Assembly to abrogate the law on the Specialist Chambers, the court established to hear cases of alleged crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other serious crimes committed during the 1998-2000 conflict. We call on political leaders in the Republic of Kosovo to maintain …

Kosovo’s leaders have made repeated public statements this week that an initiative in the Kosovo Assembly regarding the Special Court won’t damage Kosovo’s international relationships.   They are mistaken.  Any such renewed efforts would have profound negative consequences for Kosovo’s European future and its relationship with the United States.

We welcome yesterday’s agreement between the Government of Kosovo and Contour Global, which represents a huge step towards energy security in Kosovo. Energy insecurity is one of Kosovo’s greatest barriers to economic development. USAID has commissioned studies that put Kosovo’s economic losses at €300 million per year because of unreliable electricity supply. The United States …

The U.S. Embassy was disappointed by the new border commission’s report to the Assembly Committee on European Integration yesterday. Its assertions are unsubstantiated, misleading, and wrong. The existing agreement reflects an accurate process of determining the border, confirmed by Kosovo’s state commission and numerous internationally recognized experts.  In 2015, the State Department confirmed that the …

We welcome today’s integration of judges, prosecutors, and administrative staff into the Kosovo judiciary.  With today’s decree, Kosovo is advancing the integration of minority communities and expanding access to justice for all its citizens. 

The United States Embassy congratulates Kosovo on the successful completion of the first round of municipal elections. We commend the Central Election Commission, the Polling Commissioners, the OSCE and all of the monitoring and observation teams for their hard work.

Kosovo is our first stop. Why is that the case? Because this country is so important. The whole world is watching Kosovo. The whole world is rooting for Kosovo in some ways. We certainly are. We realize that a stable Kosovo and one in which all parties are included in governance is one that we …

The U.S. Embassy welcomes February 4 agreement between Environment and Spatial Planning Minister Shala and North Mitrovica/e Mayor Rakic on a revised urban plan for the pedestrianization of King Peter Street., We applaud the municipal assembly of North Mitrovica/e for its prompt adoption of the new plan. The agreement reached will result in the construction …

The U.S. Embassy unreservedly condemns the use of violence to achieve political objectives in Kosovo as we have seen in recent days.  We call on all Kosovo’s leaders to do the same.  Democracy provides space for disagreement and even for protest. But under no circumstances is violence against police, the media, members of the government …