Kosovo's new Serb parliament raises EU concerns[fr][de] 

The Mitrovica parliament may have no executive authority, but the symbolic move is already creating tensions. Kosovo's President Fatmir Sejdiu condemned the initiative, describing it as illegal and "an attempt to destabilise Kosovo". 

The new parliament will consist of Serb representatives elected on 11 May in local elections in Kosovo, held in defiance of the international community and ignoring Kosovo's newly proclaimed independence. 

Speaking to EurActiv, a spokesperson for the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, played down the move by the Kosovo Serbs, describing it as an attempt to create "virtual reality". Asked why UNMIK did not prevent the elections which ultimately led to the establishment of the parliament, he said: 

"Why should we use force to stop a talking shop?" 

But speaking on condition of anonymity, a diplomat from an EU country that has not recognised Kosovo's independence said the development comes as proof that the decision to establish a state within the limits of the Serb province was wrong.

Thierry de Montbrial, the head of the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), is of the same opinion. Speaking at a conference in Brussels on 24 June, he said the independence of Kosovo was a mistake because the territory is heading for partition or towards the attachment of its mostly Serb-populated northern part to Serbia. 

The northern part of Kosovo is strongly backed by Serbia and has de-facto autonomy. But the EU had insisted that both communities retain the boundaries of Kosovo, for fear of opening a Pandora's box if these were to be modified. 

Also, the mainstream political views of the international community have been against the establishment of an ethnically pure country and instead favour a more harmonious relationship between the Kosovar majority and the Serb minority in Kosovo. 

Kosovo's flag represents a clear expression of the international community's view. It features a map of the former Serbian province with six stars, symbolising the different ethnic communities in the territory.