Relations between Pristina and Belgrade remain tense. The two sides have been engaged in a war of words for weeks. In the last 24 hours, however, he “flares up” and the tension hits “red” in northern Kosovo, where the Serbian population is a majority
By Athena Papakosta
The thermometer of tension rises in northern Kosovo where Serbs set up barricades protesting the arrest of their compatriot, a former police officer, who is accused by the Pristina authorities of terrorist activity. The president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, addressing the Serbs of Kosovo, emphasized that “no one is surrendering, no one will surrender”, also pointing out that the barricades protect the Serbs from the security forces of Pristina.
Relations between Pristina and Belgrade remain tense. The two sides have been engaged in a war of words for weeks. In the last 24 hours, however, he “flares up” as well the tension hits “red” in northern Kosovowhere the Serbian population is a majority.
At this moment, protestors-members of the Serbian community are blocking with trucks and agricultural machinery central road arteries of the region that lead to the administrative border with Serbia as well as Pristina.
The reason for the outbreak is the arrest of a former police officer, of Serbian ethnicity, who is suspected of being involved in attacks against Kosovar police officers. The arrested man is one of a total of 600 Serbian police officers who resigned en masse in early November in protest over the issue of Serbian license plates in Kosovo.
Last week, Pristina had ordered the deployment of strong police forces in areas of northern Kosovo sparking a new round of tension ahead of local elections scheduled for December 18. By order of the Kosovar president, Viosa Osmani, they were finally postponed to April 23.
Saturday night was full of tension. According to Pristina, unknown assailants opened fire on police officers near the special forces base in Gazivode Lake, while a stun grenade attack was carried out against EULEX, the European police force. There were no injuries from the incidents, while the Pristina police returned fire. For their part, Serbian officials report that heavily armed police have stormed facilities on Lake Gazivode and are calling on the EU to take immediate action to “restrain the thugs” who they say want to spark a new war with Serbia.
“We don’t want a conflict. We want peace and progress but we will respond to aggression with all our forces,” Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti stressed, describing the protesters as “criminal gangs” and asking the NATO peacekeeping force KFOR to remove the barricade. In particular, Kurti accuses Belgrade of trying to destabilize Kosovo, end the dialogue on the normalization of bilateral relations with the EU and take the issue to the UN Security Council where he hopes to be supported by Russia and China.
For Serbia, however, the action of the police forces violates previous peace agreements. The country’s president, Aleksandar Vucic, announced that Belgrade will submit a formal request to the KFOR commander for the return to Kosovo of 1,000 Serbian police and military personnel, citing UN Security Council Resolution 1244 from 1999, which provides for this possibility under conditions and with the approval of the KFOR administration. Such a thing, if accepted (though unlikely), would cause a dramatic increase in tension in the region.
The EU calls for the restoration of peace. In particular, the High Representative for the EU’s Foreign Policy, Josep Borel, calls on the Serbs to remove the roadblocks while condemning the attacks against EULEX.
The further escalation came just days after the two sides agreed on license plates. This was preceded by an attempt by Pristina authorities to force members of the Serbian minority to change their old license plates, which had been issued before 1999. Tension immediately arose with Serbs refusing to hand over their Serbian plates. After EU assistance and mainly after US intervention, Kosovo eventually suspended any further action and Serbia committed not to issue or renew car registration plates for Serbs living in towns in northern Kosovo.
Kosovo has a population of at least 1.8 million. 92% are Albanians and only 6% are Serbs. In 2008, nine years after NATO’s military intervention, it unilaterally declared its independence from Serbia, which does not accept it and in its Constitution mentions Kosovo as an integral part of the country. The issue is dividing the international community with many countries having recognized its independence – with the US and Turkey being the first – and many others including Greece, Cyprus and Spain not. Both Serbia and Kosovo want to join the EU with Brussels reminding them of their 2013 commitment to dialogue and normalization of relations.
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
