Two of the four border crossings between Kosovo and Serbia have been closed by authorities in Kosovo after protesters on the Serbian side blocked the road and prevented those with Kosovo documents from passing through. This action was in response to masked extremist groups in Serbia selectively blocking transit for travelers. The closures come amidst ongoing tensions between Pristina and Belgrade, particularly in the northern region of Kosovo which has a majority ethnic Serb population.
Protesters from both Kosovo and Serbia have been blocking the border in protest against the closure by Pristina authorities of parallel administrations that ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo had set up. They are demanding the withdrawal of Kosovo police officers from the north and the return of the usurped institutions to the Serbs. Some are even calling for NATO-led peacekeeping forces to assume control over Kosovo’s northern region.
The blockade also follows recent raids by police in northern Kosovo on administrative offices linked to the Belgrade government, as well as Kosovo’s decision to make the euro the only legal currency in the country, effectively outlawing the Serbian dinar. These events have further fueled tensions between the two sides.
Despite these challenges, the European Union envoy for the Western Balkans has urged Kosovo and Serbia to work towards normalizing relations, as such a move would be crucial for the two countries to join the EU. The region has a history of conflict and tensions, with Serbia not recognizing Kosovo’s independence which was proclaimed in 2008 following NATO’s intervention in 1999.
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