Kosovo Serbs end roadblocks with trucks

The Kosovo Serbs have started to remove the barricades on the borders with Serbia. This is the result of talks between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and representatives of Serbs in Kosovo, reports the Serbian public television channel RTS.

The lockdowns will be lifted within 24 to 48 hours, says Vucic, “but the mistrust has not disappeared.”

Yesterday, Kosovo closed its main border crossing point with Serbia due to truck blockages. Roads to other border crossing points have also been blocked. Kosovo Serbs have implemented dozens of blockades in recent weeks to protest the December 10 arrest of a former Kosovo Serb policeman. This Dejan Pantic allegedly assaulted a Kosovar colleague during a previous demonstration. He was released last night and placed under house arrest.

Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo have escalated in recent weeks following allegations of intimidation and bullying of Serbs by ethnic Albanians. Gunfire and explosions were heard near patrols by the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force in Kosovo. No one was seriously injured.

This week, Serbia increased combat readiness of his troops on the border with Kosovo and demanded “an end to attacks on Kosovo Serbs”. The situation has caused great concern internationally.

Kosovo thinks that the country’s Serbs should behave like Kosovars, but the Serbs want their own province in northern Kosovo. Earlier this month, the local elections postponed due to tensions.

Serbian associate law professor Vladimir Vuletic said on the morning show on Serbian TV channel RTS that the lockdowns had achieved their goal. “They made it clear to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti that what he wanted was not possible, and we’ll see if he got the message.”

The barricades, according to Vuletic, responded to “something intolerable”, namely that Kurti and the police were determined to take control of northern Kosovo by force. “This showed Serbia’s determination to defend the people of Kosovo. This is reflected in the deployment of its armed forces, but also in the search for peaceful solutions. Peace is in Serbia’s interest,” he said. he declared.

He stressed that not all Serbian demands have been met, but that it is important to compromise, because peace is the main goal. “The Serbs have shown their goodwill.”

Kosovo declared itself independent from Serbia in 2008, of which it was until then an autonomous province with a strong Albanian majority. The secession left the Serbs in the minority. Serbia, supported by Russia and China, has not recognized Kosovo. Most EU and NATO countries have done so.