BELGRADE, Serbia — Kosovo closed its largest border crossing with Serbia, police mentioned Wednesday, after Serbs arrange extra barricades on their facet in one of many area’s worst crises in years.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, however Belgrade has refused to acknowledge it and inspired Kosovo’s 120,000 ethnic Serbs to defy Pristina’s authority—particularly within the north the place ethnic Serbs make up the bulk.
The newest bother erupted on December 10, when ethnic Serbs put up barricades to protest the arrest of an ex-policeman suspected of being concerned in assaults in opposition to ethnic Albanian law enforcement officials—successfully sealing off site visitors on two border crossings.
After the roadblocks have been erected, Kosovar police and worldwide peacekeepers have been attacked in a number of taking pictures incidents, whereas the Serbian armed forces have been placed on heightened alert this week.
Late Tuesday, dozens of demonstrators on the Serbian facet of the border used vehicles and tractors to halt site visitors resulting in Merdare, the largest crossing between the neighbors—a transfer which compelled Kosovo police to shut the entry level on Wednesday.
“Such an illegal blockade has prevented the free movement and circulation of people and goods, therefore we invite our citizens and compatriots to use other border points for circulation,” Kosovo police mentioned in an announcement.
Pristina additionally requested NATO-led peacekeepers to clear the barricades that have been erected on Kosovo soil.
Serbian Defence Minister Milos Vucevic on Wednesday mentioned Belgrade was “ready for a deal”, however didn’t specify different particulars.
Vucevic described the roadblocks as a “democratic and peaceful” technique of protest and added that Serbia has “an open line of communication” with Western diplomats on resolving the difficulty.
“We are all worried about the situation and where all this is going… Serbia is ready for a deal,” Vucevic advised state-controlled public broadcaster RTS.
Russia backs ally Serbia
Northern Kosovo has been on edge since November when lots of of ethnic Serb staff within the Kosovo police in addition to the judicial department, together with judges and prosecutors, walked off the job.
They have been protesting a controversial choice to ban Serbs residing in Kosovo from utilizing Belgrade-issued automobile license plates—a coverage that was finally scrapped by Pristina.
The mass walkouts created a safety vacuum in Kosovo, which Pristina tried to fill by deploying ethnic Albanian law enforcement officials within the area.
Russia voiced help Wednesday for its ally Serbia and mentioned it was “very closely” following the developments whereas Germany warned in opposition to heightened army presence close to the Kosovo border.
“We support Belgrade in all the actions that are being taken,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised reporters on Wednesday.
He added nevertheless that “Serbia is a sovereign country and it is fundamentally wrong to look for some kind of destructive influence of Russia here.”
According to Peskov, “Serbia is defending the rights of Serbs who live nearby in difficult conditions. Naturally they react harshly when these rights are violated.”
But, for Germany “heightened military presence near the Serbian border to Kosovo sends a completely wrong signal.”
“Nationalist rhetoric that we have heard from Serbia in the last few weeks is completely unacceptable,” overseas ministry spokesman Christofer Burger mentioned.
Berlin additionally urged Belgrade to assist take away “illegal” barricades arrange by Serbs in northern Kosovo.
The EU and a number of other worldwide ambassadors this week condemned 4 latest assaults in opposition to journalists who have been masking the flare-up.
Kosovo’s 1.8 million inhabitants is predominantly ethnic Albanian. — AFP
