Serbian troops on the border with Kosovo were placed on high alert on Friday after clashes inside Kosovo between police and Serbs that injured more than a dozen people. The Serbian demonstrators tried to block access to the municipal buildings of the newly elected mayors of Albanian ethnicity and this is precisely the reason that has triggered the new tension between the two countries.
The elections of 23 April, boycotted by the Serbs, recorded a turnout of just 3,4%, bringing local communities to the government, 98% made up of Serbs, mayors and officials of Albanian ethnicity.
For the first time since the Balkan war, the four northern municipalities of Kosovo (Zvecan, Zubin Potok, Leposavic and the northern sector of Kosovka Mitrovica), mostly inhabited by Serbs, will have ethnic Albanian mayors as representatives, whose legitimacy is not recognized by local Serbs and the Belgrade government.
Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany and the United States have condemned Kosovo's decision to force access to municipal buildings, urging the authorities to step back and ease the situation. “We condemn Kosovo's decision to force access to municipal buildings in northern Kosovo, despite our call for restraint. We call on the Kosovo authorities to immediately step back and de-escalate tensions, and to coordinate closely with EULEX ( the EU mission) and KFOR (the NATO mission) in Kosovo", the countries said in a joint statement.
Harsh words have also come from Washington. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has criticized the use of force by the Kosovar government, saying he acted against the advice of the US and EU allies stated on twitter: "We strongly condemn the actions of the Kosovo government which are escalating tensions in the north and increasing instability. We call on Prime Minister Albin Kurti to stop these actions immediately and refocus on the dialogue facilitated by the EU".
In Zvecan, police fired tear gas to disperse crowds as new municipal officials entered their offices. Several cars were set on fire. Kosovo Serb hospital staff said about 10 protesters were injured as a police car was set on fire.
After clashes between the police and Kosovo's Serb minority, President Vucic alerted the army by moving it close to the border and demanding that NATO-led troops stationed in Kosovo protect ethnic Serbs from the police.
Meanwhile, the Italian contingent (see article: "New forces in Kosovo: the Carabinieri implement the Eulex force") Of “operators in crisis areas” of the 2a Carabinieri mobile brigade, deployed in November last year, will return home shortly. As confirmed by the EULEX press office, "the carabinieri (belonging to the 7th "Trentino Alto-Adige" regiment) of the Reserve Formed Police Unit (RFPU) of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) made available by the European Gendarmerie Force (EUROGENDFOR) temporarily deployed in November of last year, will end their mandate around the middle of the month of June.”
Last May 11, during the award ceremony of the military, the head of EULEX, Lars Gunnar Wigemark, thanked Italy for providing some of its best carabinieri for this deployment: "your presence here today demonstrates your willingness to support security and stability in Kosovo and in the Western Balkans as a whole". He praised the RFPU's contribution to Kosovo's security and stability, particularly during a number of important moments, notably in northern Kosovo in late 2022. “Your commitment and professionalism, which I have witnessed on many occasions, has made a real difference, and your service is a testament to the values of peace, security and justice. Serving in a CSDP mission like EULEX requires courage, resilience and dedication” Wigemark concluded.
Photo: Serbian Armed Forces
