Bringing criminal groups to justice is the only way to find durable peace and stability, Osmani says

During a meeting held today in Pristina with EU envoy, Miroslav Lajcak and US envoy, Gabriel Escobar, the Kosovar president, Vjosa Osmani said that only by punishing criminal groups the country will be able to find "durable and long-term peace".

"This is why we're expecting law enforcement agencies to do their job in accordance with the law, in order for those criminal groups, which are responsible for the violence, to be brought to justice," Osmani said.

Osmani met with the two officials on the second day of their visit to Pristina. Lajcak and Escobar are visiting Pristina and Belgrade in an attempt to find a solution for the normalization of the situation in the three northern municipalities of Kosovo, Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok.

Violence flared after Kosovo authorities installed ethnic Albanian mayors in offices in northern municipalities after being elected on a turnout of just 3.5% after Serbs who form a majority in the region boycotted local polls.

The clashes injured 30 members of the NATO peacekeeping force known as KFOR as well as 52 Serb protesters.

Kosovo won internationally recognised independence in 2008 but Serbia rejected it and Serbs in the country's north seek autonomy for their region under a 2013 deal that has not been implemented.