Palmer: It's Important to Respect Kosovo's Election Results

Mathew Palmer Beolgrade (Beta/Presedency of Serbia/Dimitrije Goll)

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's Special Representative for the Western Balkans Matthew Palmer said during a Nov. 4 visit to Belgrade that the Serb Ticket had won support form a majority of the Serbs in Kosovo, which entitled the party to representation in the Kosovo cabinet.

"I believe there's  enough room in Kosovo to hear many different voices, but it is important that election results be respected as well," Palmer said at a press conference he shared with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

The U.S. special envoy underlined that in his contacts with local politicians, including a candidate for Kosovo's premiership, Albin Kurti, he made it clear that it's important for Kosovo Serbs to express themselves in Kosovo through a political process, too.

Palmer described as a "historic mistake" a decision by the European Union (EU) not to set a date for North Macedonia and Albania to begin negotiations with the Union.

The U.S. diplomat said his country wished to see a European perspective for the Western Balkans, and that it would work to bring the message home to EU leaders before the next summit in Zagreb.