Kosovo decided to delay for a month the entry into force of new regulations on the border with Serbia that caused tensions in the north of the country on Sunday, where barricades were erected and shots were fired at the police.
Tensions on the border between Kosovo and Serbia. NATO warns that it is ready to intervene if necessary
The postponement was announced in a government statement after a meeting with the US ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Honevier.
The new rules, which were to come into force this Monday, provide that anyone who enters Kosovo with a Serbian ID card gets to keep a temporary document being in the country.
Pristina had also given Kosovo Serbs two months to replace Serbian registration plates on their vehicles with plates from the Republic of Kosovo.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Sunday that it was a reciprocal move as Serbia, which does not recognize the independence of the former Albanian-majority province proclaimed in 2008, demands the same from Kosovars entering the territory.
The measures sparked tensions Sunday in northern Kosovo, where a Serb minority lives.
Kosovar police said they were shot at, no one was injured, and roads leading into Serbia were barricaded.
In the statement, the Kosovar government demanded that “all barricades be removed and full freedom of movement restored” on Monday.
The head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, welcomed Pristina’s decision in a post on the social network Twitter on Sunday nightcalling for the “immediate lifting of all roadblocks”.
We welcome Kosovo’s decision to move the measures to 1 September. Expect all obstacles to be removed immediately.
Open issues must be addressed through the EU-facilitated Dialogue and focus on the comprehensive normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, essential for their EU integration paths.— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) July 31, 2022
Kosovar Serbs do not recognize the authority of Pristina or the independence of Kosovo and remain loyal to Belgrade, on which they are financially dependent.
In an address to the nation on Sunday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that the situation in Kosovo “never been so complex” for Serbia and for the Serbs who live there. He added: “Serbia will win” if the Serbs are attacked.
In September, northern Kosovo was the scene of heightened tensions following Pristina’s decision to ban Serb searches in the territory, with daily demonstrations and traffic blockades at both border posts.
Source: Observadora
