Kosovo closes biggest border crossing with Serbia due to blockade protesters

Kosovo has closed its biggest border crossing with Serbia as the road was blocked by trucks from the Serbian side. This is the job of protesters who want to support their ethnic relatives in Kosovo.

Tensions in Kosovo have risen in recent weeks following complaints of intimidation and bullying of Serbs by ethnic Albanians. For example, Serb employees of the Kosovo police recently stopped their work in protest against a decision – now overturned – banning Kosovo Serbs from using Serbian license plates on their cars.

Dejan Pantic, a former Kosovo Serb policeman who was arrested for assaulting police officers during a protest, was released from prison today.

He was placed under house arrest, a spokesman for the Pristina court told Reuters news agency. Pantic was reportedly transferred home in an effort to ease tensions in Kosovo.

After his arrest and detention, tensions escalated between the Kosovo government and the Serb minority demanding Pantic’s release.

Kosovo’s Interior Minister said yesterday that Serbia, under the influence of Russia, is ready to destabilize Kosovo. Serbia denies this and says it only defends the minority.

The Kremlin also voices Kosovar accusations against. “Serbia is a sovereign country and it is incorrect to talk about Russian influence,” Kremlin spokesman Peskov said. Moscow is an important ally of Belgrade.

Kosovo has been a source of tension between the West and Russia for decades. Western countries support the country’s independence, which it declared unilaterally in 2008.

But Russia supports Serbia and supports actions by which Serbia tries to thwart Kosovo’s membership in international organizations such as the European Union and the UN.

Serbia yesterday placed its troops in the highest state of preparation bring. The Serbian defense minister said the army was ready to use force if necessary. NATO is trying to act as a de-escalator and, through Major General Ristuccia, has said it supports dialogue between all parties to ease tensions in Kosovo.

“It is of the utmost importance that everyone involved avoid rhetoric or actions that could create tension and escalate the situation,” he said. “Solutions must be sought through dialogue”.

The European Union and the United States are also concerned about the situation in northern Kosovo. In a joint statement from the US State Department, they call for de-escalation.