Militant Serbs erected barricades on Sunday in the predominantly Serb populated north of Kosovo around Mitrovica. Unknown persons also fired shots in the direction of Kosovan police officers. No one was injured, the police in Pristina said late Sunday evening.
The security situation is tense, said the NATO mission KFOR in the evening. She is monitoring the situation closely and, according to her mandate, is “ready to intervene if stability is threatened.”
The tensions arose because the Kosovan authorities will no longer recognize Serbian identity documents at the border crossings from Monday (00:00). Serbs with such papers have to have a provisional document issued at the border. In addition, new rules should apply to the number plates of car owners.
reciprocity
As part of the so-called reciprocity, the Kosovar government is now invoking the principle of reciprocity. Citizens from Kosovo have long had to have a provisional document issued when crossing the border into Serbia because the Serbian authorities do not recognize the Kosovan papers.
Militant Serbs, some of whom were masked, blocked the access roads to two border crossings to Serbia with barricades on Sunday. Kosovo, now almost exclusively inhabited by Albanians, used to belong to Serbia. In 2008 it declared itself independent. Serbia does not recognize the statehood of Kosovo and claims its territory for itself.
The Swiss Army has been involved with Swisscoy in the Kosovo peacekeeping mission KFOR since 1999.
Kosovo backs down
In a statement issued late Sunday, the government of Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti (47) temporarily backed down to defuse the tense situation.
In cooperation with international allies, his government promises to postpone the implementation of the newly planned entry rules by 30 days, Kurti said on Twitter. The prerequisite is that all barricades are removed and complete freedom of movement restored.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell (75) welcomed the decision. He expects roadblocks and blockades to be lifted immediately.
«Denazification of the Balkans»
According to the television channel N1, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (52) had previously stated that Serbia “has never been in a more complex and difficult situation than it is today”. Vucic called on all sides to keep the peace, but warned on Sunday: “If you don’t want to keep the peace, then I tell you that Serbia will win.”
Serbian nationalist politician and talk show host Vladimir Dukanovic (43) wrote on Twitter the same day: “Everything looks to me like Serbia will be forced to start denazification of the Balkans.” Russia used this term to justify its attack on Ukraine in February. Yes, adds Dukanovic, “I would like to be wrong”.
From Moscow, Marija Zakharova (46), spokeswoman for Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (72), reported on the crisis: “Russia is calling on Pristina and the USA and the EU behind it to stop the provocations and to respect the rights of the Serbs in Kosovo. »
sirens wail
According to the Kosovo portal “Le Canton 27” published in Switzerland, Serbs are blocking roads in the area to prevent the diaspora from returning to Switzerland and EU countries after the summer holidays. Hundreds of Kosovan police officers are stationed at the border with Serbia, alarm sirens can be heard as in times of war. (kes/SDA)