After a dispute over the issuance of car registrations that dragged on for nearly two years, relations between the government of Kosovo and the Serbian government – and between the Serbian minority in the north of the region that declared independence in 2008 – deteriorated again. Western governments criticize Pristina, Moscow calls for respect for Serbs and the NATO peacekeeping mission has been strengthened. And even tennis player Novak Djokovic was involved in a controversy with the French sports minister.
In March, following an EU-brokered pact whereby Belgrade would stop issuing number plates to Serbian vehicles in Kosovo and Pristina would stop fines owners with Serbian number plates, the Kosovo Prime Minister and Serbian President nearly another and very important agreement: the normalization of relations. After 12 hours of talks between Albin Kurti and Aleksandar Vucic, the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell announced the good news. Vucic even gave interviews proclaiming “a real reconciliation”. But there was no signature.
The Serbs have again demanded more autonomy for ten municipalities in northern Kosovo, a measure envisaged in a 2013 agreement, also brokered by the EU, but never implemented by the ruling Albanian majority. In addition to enrollment, the approximately 120,000 Serbs use the dinar and maintain close relations with Belgrade. Serbs on both sides of the border do not accept the independence of Kosovo, seen as the “heart” of Serbia.
Pristina, on the other hand, is not interested in giving more autonomy to that region, fearing that northern Kosovo will be effectively controlled by Belgrade. In this context, the Kosovo Serbs decided to boycott the April municipal elections. In Mitrovica and in the other places where the majority of the population is Serb, the participation rate was 3.5%. Enough, according to the Kosovo government, to validate ethnic Albanian candidates for the office, after sending police to the relevant municipalities.
“It is very clear that the Kosovar authorities are responsible for the current situation (…) We made it clear to the Kosovan authorities that it was a mistake to go ahead with these elections.” Emmanuel Macron
A move that, according to his great ally Washington, caused a “sharp and unnecessary escalation of tensions”, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken warning of “consequences for bilateral relations” with Pristina. On the same day, the US joined the UK, Italy, Germany and France in a joint condemnation of Kosovo.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the border, the nationalist Vucic – gambling on his political survival after weeks of massive demonstrations condemning the government’s “culture of violence” and demanding his resignation – ordered the military to move closer to the border to come. Kosovo and be on high alert. The Serbian clashes, first with the police and later with the NATO army, were a natural result of the mess created. More than 50 Serbs were injured, as were 19 Italians and 11 Hungarians serving in the peacekeeping mission (KFOR) in Zvecan.
“The violent mob must leave: either to prison or to Serbia. What we see in the democratic West is a certain calm attitude. That’s how we got here.” Albin Kurti, Prime Minister of Kosovo
On Wednesday, armed forces reinforced security around the Chamber, adding more personnel, a metal fence and barbed wire. The demonstrators, who are now demanding the departure of the ethnic Albanian police forces and the new mayors, demonstrated in that village with a Serbian flag 200 meters long. They had messages of support from the Slavic ally – Putin’s Russia – and heard French Macron’s criticism of the Kosovars.
Djokovic smash
After tennis player Novak Djokovic refused the vaccine against Covid-19, he became embroiled in a new controversy. At the end of the first Roland Garros match, the Serb wrote: “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. No to violence.” Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, France’s sports minister, criticized the “highly political” message and said it should not be repeated. The tennis federation of Kosovo also complained. But after fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina defended Djokovic’s freedom of expression, the International Tennis Federation clarified that nothing in the rules prohibits political statements.
Source: DN
