Serbs in Kosovo clash with police as ethnic tensions flare

Serb protestors in northern Kosovo blocked main roads for a second consecutive day following a nighttime firefight with police after the arrest and detention of a former Serb officer. This occurred amid increasing tensions between authorities, Kosovo's Serb minority, and police.

Recent weeks have seen the northern Kosovo Serbs, who believe they are part of Serbia, respond violently to Pristina's anti-Serb moves.

EULEX, the European Union mission charged with patrolling northern Kosovo said that a stungrenade was thrown at one of its armoured vehicle on Saturday evening but that no one was hurt.

Josep Borrell (EU foreign policy chief) warned that the bloc would not tolerate violence against its mission members.

"The EU will not tolerate any attacks on @EULEXKosovo, or the use of violent, criminal acts within the north. Groups of Kosovo Serbs must immediately remove all barricades." He added that calm must be restored on Twitter.

On Saturday (10 December), a former officer of the police was arrested. This triggered the latest protests. After Pristina stated that it would require Serbs not to keep their license plates from before the 1998-1999 Kosovo War, which led to independence, he was arrested as part of a mass resignation by the force.

Trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles obstructed several roads leading to the Serbian border crossings for a second time on Sunday. Both crossings were closed.

The United States expressed deep concern over the current situation in Kosovo's north, the embassies of the United States in Belgrade and Pristina stated in a statement.

"We ask everyone to be as calm and restrained as possible, to immediately take action to de-escalate the situation, and not to engage in provocative acts."

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has requested that NATO's mission KFOR remove the barricades.

Kurti said: "We call KFOR in order to guarantee freedom of movement (and remove roadsblocks KFOR is asking more time to complete this... so we are waiting."

Late Saturday night, Kosovo police reported that they were under fire at different points near a lake bordering Serbia. According to the force, it was forced to fire back in self-defence. No injuries were reported.

EU PLAN IN DANGER

After the 1998-1999 war, NATO intervened in order to save the Albanian-majority Kosovo, Kosovo declared independence from Serbia.

In protest of a government decision to replace Belgrade's car license plates with Pristina-issued ones, the mayors of Serb municipalities in northern Kosovo, together with 600 police officers and judges, resigned last Month.

According to police in Pristina, Dejan Pantic, a former officer, was taken into custody for allegedly attacking state offices and the offices of the election commission, as well as police officers and election officials.

On Sunday (11 December), Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic presided at a meeting of the National Security Council. "I appeal to Serbs for calm. Vucic stated to RTS national TV that attacks against EULEX and KFOR must not occur."

Vucic stated Saturday that Belgrade would request KFOR for permission to allow Serbia to deploy troops and police into Kosovo. However, he acknowledged that there was no possibility of such permission being granted.

"We don't seek conflict but peace and dialogue." Kurti responded to Vucic's remarks by saying that the Republic of Kosovo would defend itself "forcefully and decisively".

Serbia and Kosovo are currently holding talks in Brussels to normalize relations. The EU has already provided a plan.

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