Kosovo must grant Serbs more autonomy to join EU and NATO, US envoy says

Kosovo must give greater autonomy to Serb-majority municipalities in the north of the country if it wants to move closer to joining NATO and the European Union, the U.S. envoy to the Western Balkans said on Wednesday.
Violence has flared since Kosovo authorities installed ethnic Albanian mayors in offices in the municipalities after they were elected in a vote in April on a turnout of just 3.5%, angering Serbs who form a majority in northern areas and who had boycotted the event.
Envoy Gabriel Escobar also urged Kosovo to withdraw police and mayors from their offices in Serb-majority areas to de-escalate tensions and then hold new municipal elections in which Serbs would participate.
Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani in an interview on Wednesday told Reuters her country could trigger new elections in Serb-majority municipalities if 20% of voters sign a petition asking for them.