EULEX Chief Spokesperson Nicholas Hawton has stated that EULEX did not exceed its mandate in Kosovo, adding that EULEX does not deal with status issues, and that changes on the Jarinje and Brnjak crossings are related to the implementation of the agreement on customs stamps, reached in Brussels.

EULEX did not exceed its mandate. The activities are carried out with strict observance of jurisdictions, and the mission is supported by all 27 EU member states, Hawton said in an interview for the Belgrade-based daily Blic Friday.

He claims that EULEX does not handle status issues, and that its activities are aimed at one single goal, which is the improvement of the rule of law for everyone across Kosovo, including its northern part. Hawton stressed that the deployment of Kosovo customs officers at Jarinje and Brnjak rests in the hands of the government in Pristina.

The changes on the crossings are related to the implementation of the agreement on customs stamps, reached in Brussels on September 2.

The aim is to improve the rule of law for the local citizens, and this means resolving of the issues of smuggling and organized crime, Hawton stressed.

He believes it would be best if the barricades in Kosovo are removed by those who set them, noting, however, that all options are open for their removal.