After clashes in a Serb-majority town in Kosovo, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has put the army on standby. In addition, troops should be moved closer to the border with Kosovo. Defense Minister Milos Vucevic spoke on Friday about an urgent measure. “It is clear that terror is perpetrated against the Serbian community in Kosovo.”
Kosovar police in Zvecan had previously used tear gas against a crowd who wanted to prevent the arrival of a new Kosovo Albanian mayor. The police reported five injured officers, the local Serbian health authorities reported ten slightly injured.
About 50,000 Serbs live in four northern municipalities of Kosovo, including Zvecan. They boycotted the April 23 local elections – the turnout was 3.5 percent – and refused to cooperate with the new four Albanian mayors.
Sharp words from the US
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday condemned the attempt by Kosovo authorities to gain access to official buildings by force. The move went against advice from the US and Europe, increased tensions “drastically and unnecessarily” and will “impact our bilateral relations with Kosovo”.
In a joint statement, Germany, France, Italy, Britain and the US called for restraint from all sides and a de-escalation of the situation, as announced by the Foreign Office in Berlin.
Tensions continue to build
Tensions have repeatedly arisen with the Serb minority in northern Kosovo. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. However, the government in Belgrade did not recognize independence. The Serbs living in Kosovo also see themselves as part of the neighboring country. The ongoing dispute between the former Yugoslav Republic of Serbia and the former province of Kosovo is an obstacle for both states to join the European Union.
Source: Krone
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