SERBIA KOSOVO TENSIONS HEIGHTEN
Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia heightened a day after a senior Serb politician was arrested and expelled in northern Kosovo, with Russia wading into the dispute and the European Union trying to avert further friction Tuesday.
Kosovo Serbs set up a roadblock in the divided town of Mitrovica to monitor access into Serb-dominated territory, and Serb politicians walked away from Kosovo’s government and threatened to form their own local administrations throughout Kosovo where minority Serbs live.
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini made an urgent trip to Belgrade for talks with Serbia’s president in a bid to prevent a full-blown crisis from erupting. President Aleksandar Vucic’s office said in a statement that he and Mogherini agreed to find “new ways’’ to solve problems between Serbia and Kosovo peacefully.
Mogherini didn’t immediately comment, but the statement quoted her as saying “what happened yesterday must not be repeated.’’
“The European Union expects peace to be preserved with wisdom and restraint,’’ Mogherini said according to the statement.
Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a stronglyworded statement, accusing the EU and the U.S. of wanting “to crudely suppress’’ attempts by Kosovo Serbs to “safeguard their legitimate interests.’’
“It is nakedly clear that the Kosovars (Kosovo Albanians) follow the advice of their U.S. and European patrons, who trample international law and act on the basis of arbitrariness,’’ said the statement carried by Tass news agency.
While Russia supports Serbia’s claims over its former province, the U.S. and most Western states have recognized Kosovo’s independence a decade ago. Russia has been trying to expand its influence in the Balkans mainly through its traditional Slavic ally Serbia.
The developments came a day after Marko Djuric, the head of the Serbian government office for Kosovo, was briefly detained in the divided town of Mitrovica because he entered the country without Kosovo’s official approval. Kosovo police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse Serb protesters in Mitrovica on Monday.
Djuric said he was beaten while in detention and that his arrest was aimed at humiliating Serbs in Kosovo and as a rehearsal for a possible attempt by Kosovo police to take over northern Kosovo.
“By dragging me on the ground like a dog, pulling me by my tie, they wanted to humiliate me thinking they can humiliate the Serbian people,’’ Djuric told a news conference Tuesday.
But Kosovo President Hashim Thaci denounced the incident as a provocation by Serbia.
“Monday’s events are contrary to the commitment of dialogue and building sustainable peace in Kosovo,’’ he said in a statement on Tuesday.