By contrast, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama visited Kosovo, where he criticized the "theatrical military maneuvers," of Serbia and said the "only solution is a dialogue.". Kosovo Serbs in trucks block the road to the Jarinje crossing with Serbia on Monday. Serb fighter planes flew close to border crossing Jarinje where Serb protesters cheered them. Kosovo media reported that goods transit has been stopped at the Jarinje and Bernjak crossing points, while buses can only take their passengers to the blockade, around 800 metres from the border, leaving them to cross on foot, Kosovo media reported. Local Serbs stand beside a roadblock on the route to the northern Kosovo border crossing of Jarinje on September 21. A working group, chaired by the EU, and attended by representatives from the bloc as well as Serbia and Kosovo, will convene on October 21 and will have six months to negotiate a permanent solution.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. "We have a deal!," Miroslav Lajk, EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues, announced on Twitter. Polish soldiers, part of the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo KFOR, pass through barricades as they patrol near the northern Kosovo border crossing of Jarinje, along the Kosovo-Serbia border, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021. Kosovar special police forces also pulled back from the border, where they were deployed two weeks ago to remove the license plates from entering cars and to replace them with temporary registration in Kosovo. Pristina, KosovoNATO troops stepped up patrols in Kosovo on Monday near border crossings which have been blocked by local Serbs angered by a ban on cars with Serbian license plates entering the country in a mounting confrontation.
Like Serbia, Russia does not recognize Kosovo. The Jarinje and Bernjak border crossing points in Serb-dominated northern Kosovo remained blocked on Tuesday morning after local Serbs obstructed the roads with dozens of trucks in protest against changes to border regulations for vehicles with Serbian registration plates, Kosovo media reported. "This is a very positive development," she said. Take a look at the beta version of dw.com. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. NATO forces have been on the ground in Kosovo since 1999 when conflict last erupted in the country. The car registration office in the town of Zubin Potok was set ablaze and two hand grenades were thrown at the civil registration office in the town of Zvecan, though they did not go off, the police said. But opposition politicians have accused him of failing the Serbs in northern Kosovo. Tensions soared last week at the border between Kosovo and Serbia as Kosovo deployed additional police to implement a rule to remove Serbian license plates from cars entering Kosovo, while Serbs protested the move. Legal notice | The decision ensures equal treatment and free movement for the citizens of both countries, Kosovos President Vjosa Osmani wrote on Facebook post on Monday evening. 
The United States and most of the West recognize Kosovos independence, but, Serbia, supported by its allies Russia and China, does not. It is bringing close to the border Russian-made helicopters and airplanes Serbia is provoking a serious international conflict", Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti told a news conference.
Vehicles with Serbian number plates could enter Kosovo freely, without extra procedures. Photo: BIRN/Adelina Ahmeti. Updated 7:09 AM ET, Tue September 28, 2021. Four thousand troops from 28 nations make up the international military presence in Kosovo. Over the weekend, the Russian ambassador to Serbia toured two military bases near the border with Nebojsa Stefanovic, the Serbian defense minister. It does recognise plates with the letters KS, which were first issued when Kosovo was under UN administration, and were intended to be status-neutral, but the Kosovo government no longer recognises these. As part of the agreement, both countries will put stickers over the others name and emblem on license plates of vehicles entering their territory. The Kosovo government says its move mirrors measures in force in Serbia against drivers from Kosovo since 2008, when Kosovo declared independence from Serbia. Kosovo's NATO mission -- whose 5,000 troops oversee a fragile peace in Kosovo -- said on Monday it had "increased the number and duration of routine patrols Kosovo-wide, including in northern Kosovo.". Bislimi expressed concern about possible further escalation, and accused Serbia of often being a destabilising factor in the region. Media in Belgrade reported that tanks and other military equipment were heading towards the border, but the Serb army did not give any details. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Privacy Policy | "Serbia clearly wants to militarize and escalate the situation. Biden to accept award from Kosovo on behalf of his son Beau. REUTERS/Laura Hasani/File Photo. A day before, three helicopters also flew in the vicinity. '', Though the situation was calm at the border Monday, Peter Stano, the EU's foreign affairs spokesman, said: "There are a lot of diplomatic activities going on now both in Brussels and on the ground.". The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.
The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. European Union mediator Miroslav Lajcak persuaded representatives from the neighboring Balkan nations this week to let the Kosovo Force (KFOR) troops take over the areas for the next 14 days.
The confrontation has already boiled over into violence -- two interior ministry buildings in northern Kosovo, including a car registration office, were attacked on Saturday, police said. 
Kosovo Force troops from the United States, Italy and Poland were seen patrolling Saturday as ethnic Serbs removed the trucks they had used to block the road to two border crossings while protesting the Kosovo governments decision not to allow vehicles with Serbian license plates into the country. The alliance has also flown helicopters at the border over the last weekto keep watch on developments.
A NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo took over the area near two Kosovo-Serbia border crossings following the deal reached by the two countries to deescalate tensions triggered by a dispute over vehicle license plates. Kosovo Serbs Block Roads as Border Crossing Tensions Simmer. PRISTINA, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Two interior ministry offices in northern Kosovo were attacked near border crossings blocked by local Serbs angered by a ban on cars with Serbian licence plates entering the country, police said on Saturday. But Serbia refuses to recognise either Kosovos independence or the RKS plates. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen "warmly" welcomed the agreement on Twitter. He accused Serbia of "encouraging and supporting" individuals to attack the state of Kosovo. Roads on the way to the border are guarded by special units of the Kosovo police during continuing protests in Jarinje, Kosovo on September 27. | Mobile version, ethnic Serbs in Kosovo protested a decision by Kosovo's government concerning license plates, Serbia deployed armored vehicles and military aircraft flew over the border, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia ratcheted up earlier this month when Kosovo demanded that Serbian cars crossing the border buy temporary licence plates. Some Serb protesters camped out in tents overnight, according to media reports. The government in Pristina said they were replicating what Serbia had done to Kosovar motorists for a decade. EU-facilitated negotiations to normalize relations between Pristina and Belgrade started in 2011 and have produced more than 30 agreements, which are either observed poorly or not at all. Under the ban, all drivers from Serbia must now use temporary printed registration details that are valid for 60 days. "It's good for the whole region. This was in response to Serbia which does not recognise its former province as a sovereign nation already requiring vehicles from Kosovo to do the same. "After two days of intense negotiations, an agreement on de-escalation and the way forward has just been reached," he added, thanking Serbias Petar Petkovi and Kosovos Besnik Bislimi who led the technical teams, "for their readiness to negotiate and agree for the good of the people". Kosovo held an urgent security council meeting, but no details were given about what was discussed. Kosovo deployed armed police special forces on Monday after the Pristina government imposed the new regulations, which say that people entering Kosovo must change Serbian vehicle licence plates for temporary Kosovo ones when entering the country as drivers with Kosovo plates have had to do when entering Serbia for the past two decades. Serbian President Aleksander Vucic has insisted that Serbia remains "committed to peace" but "won't allow itself to be humiliated. NATO forces in Kosovo have increased their patrols on the northern border near Serbia. 
Tensions between the two countries are now at their highest for years. Von der Leyen visited both Pristina and Belgrade on Wednesday and met with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian Serbian President Aleksandar Vui, as part of a tour of the six Western Balkan countries. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo nor its license plates and has required drivers from Kosovo to remove them and purchase temporary ones while driving through Serbia. Serbs from Kosovo's north have blocked two main roads since the number-plate ban went into force on Monday last week, exacerbating tensions between the two countries and prompting calls for calm from NATO and the European Union.
Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. From October 4, the sticker regime agreed between the two countries will be applied on a "temporary" basis until a permanent solution is agreed upon. It plans for drivers to cover their licence plates with stickers when entering the other country. KFOR, made up of around 4,000 troops from 28 countries, is led by NATO with support from the United Nations, the European Union and others. Reporting by Fatos Bytyci, editing by Igor Ilic and Nick Zieminski, UK consumer mood stuck at record low, GfK survey shows, U.S. says it will hold Russia accountable for carrying out Ukraine grain deal, ECB goes big with 50 basis-point hike, ending negative rates era, Europe's power system feels the heat as cooling demand soars, Wildfire leaves sense of "total destruction", Spanish winemaker says, start recognising Kosovo car licence plates, See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi told Kosovo public broadcaster KTV on Monday evening that the decision to impose the new regime in the countrys national interests and is not directed against Serbs. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, backed by the United States, Britain and most EU member states, but its membership of the United Nations is blocked by Russia, Serbia's traditional ally. Your opinion can help us make it better. Serbia lost control over Kosovo in 1999 after NATO bombing. These will remain there for two weeks "to maintain a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement". Ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo reacted with fury last week, blocking roads and the two border crossings to Serbia while Serbia deployed armored vehicles and military aircraft flew over the border. Belgrade and Pristina committed to an EU-sponsored dialog in 2013 to resolve outstanding issues, but little progress has been made. JARINJE, Kosovo (AP) Soldiers with a NATO-led peacekeeping mission are keeping watch at the Kosovo-Serbia border after the two countries reached a deal to deescalate tensions triggered by a dispute over vehicle license plates. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Its aim is to stave off lingering ethnic tensions between Kosovos ethnic Albanian majority and minority ethnic Serbs. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. Two Kosovo government offices, including a Vehicle Registration Centre, were also attacked over the weekend. Kosovo police special forces at the Jarinje crossing with Serbia on Monday. We use cookies to optimize our website and our service. The result has been the worst regional tensions in a decade. Serbia has also begun military maneuvers near the border and started flying military jets above the crossing in protest. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has said Kosovo should first remove police units sent to the north of Kosovo to help enforce the car plate measures. That standing force is what remains of the NATO presence in 1999, when Serbia then under the rule of Slobodan Milosevic, launched a campaign of violence against the ethnic Albanian population in Kosovo. The two countries committed in 2013 to a dialogue sponsored by the European Union to try to resolve outstanding issues but little progress has been made.Kosovos independence is recognised by some 110 countries including the United States, Britain and most Western states, but not by Russia, Serbia's traditional ally, and five EU member states. The US Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia, said on Twitter that American and Canadian defense officials had visited the Jarinje and Brnjak border crossings "to gain a better understanding of the situation," and expressed gratitude that the NATO mission known as "KFOR was on site as a stabilizing factor. NATO said it was "closely monitoring the situation across Kosovo" and working "to ensure a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all communities." In Belgrade, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic scheduled an emergency session of his National Security Council for Tuesday, at which the main topic will be the situation in Kosovo, Tanjug news agency reported. We use cookies to improve our service for you. It comes after Serbia deployed armored vehicles by a border crossing and ethnic Serbs in Kosovo protested a decision by Kosovo's government concerning license plates. Copy/paste the article video embed link below: Serbia and Kosovo reach agreement on de-escalation at border, EU envoy confirms, Kosovo police secure the area as Ethnic Serbs gathered on barricades near the northern Kosovo border crossing of Jarinje on the ninth day of protest, Sept. 28, 2021, Serbian cars crossing the border buy temporary licence plates, Kosovo government offices set on fire over license plates row with Serbia, Slavko Curuvija: Four ex-Serbian officers convicted of journalist's murder, Former Serb paramilitary jailed for 20 years for war crimes in Kosovo, Tensions between Croatia and Serbia after memorial visit blocked. Kosovo officials meanwhile insisted that what they described as the reciprocity measures only ensure equal treatment for the citizens of both countries, and claimed that the protesters are being used by politicians from Belgrade. This content is not available in your region. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic insisted on Monday that Belgrade had tried to resolve the issue and had raised it countless times during EU-facilitated talks with Pristina officials. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. ", Kosovo police officers patrol by trucks where Kosovo Serbs block a road in protest of the new rules on license plates from Serbia entering Kosovo, rules Serbia's president has called 'criminal', In addition to military maneuvers on the border, Vucic has also vowed not to return to the negotiating table until Kosovo withdraws the forces it had sent to northern Kosovo to enforce the new license plate rules, which he has called a "criminal action.". KFOR peacekeepers are "closely monitoring the situation" amid the worst tensions between Serbia and Kosovo in a decade, sparked by a row over car registration plates.
Vucic has warned of possible economic and political sanctions against Kosovo, although Bislimi insisted that this would not harm his country, which should not be afraid of any measures. Contact Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. Photo: BIRN/Adelina Ahmeti. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo's independence and therefore its right to take official actions such as registering cars. Under the agreement, special police units deployed at the Jarinje and Brnjak border crossings will be removed on October 2 to be replaced by NATO peacekeepers (KFOR). The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Kosovo special police officers are pictured as hundreds of Kosovo Serbs protest against a government ban on entry of vehicles with Serbian registration plates in Jarinje, Kosovo, September 21, 2021. Likewise, Kosovo opted to impose a similar measure, demanding that Serbian drivers in Kosovo pay 5 ($5.85) for a temporary license plate good in Kosovo for two months. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. The dispute erupted after a previous agreement on licence plates between Pristina and Belgrade, which was signed in 2011, expired on September 15, and the Kosovo government decided to seek equivalent treatment for cars with licence plates with the letters RKS, for Republic of Kosovo. As from this weekend and for the next two weeks, KFOR will maintain a temporary robust and agile presence in the area, a statement from the NATO mission said. Accessibility Statement | Under the now-expired agreement from 2011, vehicles with RKS plates had to change them at the Serbian border and receive provisional paper plates, although vehicles with the status-neutral KS plates could pass freely. Copyright BIRN 2007 | Terms of use | Privacy Policy | Powered by WordPress / WPML. Kosovo Deploys Police as Serbs Protest in Licence Plate Dispute, Kosovo Not Blocking Serbian Vehicles Entry Despite Agreement Expiry, Kosovo to Abandon License Plates Agreement with Serbia, Bulgaria, North Macedonia Should Enhance Relations, Srebrenica Anniversary and North Macedonia's EU Accession Path Exacerbate Old Tensions, Brussels Emergency Plan to Reduce Gas Use to Test EU Solidarity Again, In Montenegro, Ukrainian Refugees Struggle with Work and Rent, Moldova Marks 30 Years Since Ceasefire Ended War on Costly Terms, Greece Seeks Answers After Plane Carrying Serbian Arms Crashes, Belgrade Bust: Behind the Parties and Plush Condos of Serbias Capital, Albania Blames 'Massive Cyber Attack' as Govt Servers go Down, Albania, North Macedonia, Brace for First EU Accession Talks, Old, Ugly, Obsolete, but Pristina Satellite Dishes Part of Collective Memory.
British consumers' confidence remained stuck at a record low this month in the face of surging inflation and higher interest rates, a survey showed on Friday. We're not done yet! Llazar Semini reported from Tirana, Albania. You can find more information in our data protection declaration. Bislimi meanwhile that the Kosovo government will reimburse people in the Albanian-majority Presevo Valley area of southern Serbia for any costs they might incur as a result of the decision to no longer accept Serbian licence plates. Kosovo was a Serbian province before it declared independence in 2008, and Serbian troops and ethnic Albanian separatists fought a bloody war in Kosovo during the 1990s. NATO's mission in Kosovo, where peacekeepers maintain a fragile peace, called for restraint. Two border crossing points between Kosovo and Serbia are being blocked for a second day by Kosovo Serbs protesting against new regulations forcing them to change their Serbian vehicle registration plates to Kosovo ones when entering the country. Vucic has also warned NATO that Serbia will intervene in Kosovo if ethnic Serbs in Kosovo come under threat. In 2008, Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia. Analysts point to the upcoming elections in both countries as a likely catalyst for the increase in tensions now. The dialogue now needs to continue.". 2022 Deutsche Welle |
NATO leads the mission, which is supported by the UN, the EU and other international organizations. In response, ethnic Serbs in Kosovo blocked the provisional border in protest, leading Pristina to deploy special forces at the Jarinje and Brnjak border crossings while Belgrade put its military at the border area on a heightened state of alert. All drivers from Serbia must now use temporary printed registration details that are valid for 60 days. Serbs from Kosovo's north have blocked two main roads near the border since the government ban went into force on Monday. Serbia and Kosovo have reached an agreement to ease the situation on their border, an EU official confirmed on Thursday. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. The Kosovo government says it is in retaliation for measures in force in Serbia against drivers from Kosovo since 2008, when Kosovo declared independence from Serbia. Since coming to office this year, Prime Minister Albin Kurti has repeatedly pledged that his government will demand reciprocity in all areas from Serbia. Osmani added that the decision is being strictly implemented at all border crossings, except for two in the north [Bernjak and Jarinje], where local Serbs are being abused by the Serbian government and illegal structures there. Kurti has asked Serbia to start recognising Kosovo car licence plates to allow free movement of people and goods.