Albin Kurti fires deputy minister after comments on EU role in north Kosovo tensions

Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti has dismissed a deputy minister from his cabinet after the official accused international diplomats—specifically the EU representative in Kosovo—of inciting unrest in the north of the country.

Why is this important: The move signals the government’s effort to distance itself from inflammatory rhetoric as Prishtina seeks closer ties with the EU and continued Western support.

Context: On Friday, Kurti’s office confirmed the dismissal of Arbër Vokrri, Deputy Minister of Local Government Administration. The decision followed a Thursday night television appearance in which Vokrri accused Aivo Orav, head of the EU Office in Kosovo, of playing a role in fomenting tensions in Serb-majority areas.

In a statement, the Prime Minister’s office said the remarks “do not represent the official position of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo.”

The original claims were made during a broadcast on KTV and reported by Radio Free Europe.

Tensions in northern Kosovo—home to a predominantly ethnic Serb population—have remained high in recent years. The situation escalated in 2022, following a government decision to replace Serbian-issued license plates with those of Kosovo. That led to the resignation of Serb mayors and officials from Kosovar institutions in the region.

The most serious flare-up occurred in September 2023, when Kosovo police were ambushed in Zvečan by an armed Serb group. The attack resulted in the death of one police officer and three gunmen.

In the aftermath, Kosovar authorities shut down dozens of parallel Serbian structures in the north, part of a broader effort to reassert state sovereignty.