- For the time being, Serbs may continue to enter Kosovo with Serbian documents. The Kosovar government has promised to postpone a corresponding decision.
- This stipulated that Serbian identity cards would no longer be recognized at border crossings as of today and would be replaced by provisional documents.
- The planned entry rules had also caused strong resistance among ethnic Serbs in Kosovo.
After tensions on the border between Serbia and Kosovo, Pristina has pledged to postpone a controversial measure on planned border controls for the time being. In cooperation with international allies, his government promises to suspend the implementation of the measures for 30 days, Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced on Twitter on Monday night:
The prerequisite is that all barricades are removed and complete freedom of movement restored. The government condemned “the blockade of roads in northern Kosovo” and the firing of shots by armed persons, it said in a statement.
Pristina blamed Belgrade for “aggressive actions” during the afternoon and evening. Ethnic Serbs set up barricades in the predominantly Serb-populated north of Kosovo on Sunday. Unknown persons also fired shots in the direction of Kosovan police officers, but nobody was injured, the police in Pristina said late Sunday evening.
Controversial new entry rules
The tensions arose because the Kosovan authorities no longer wanted to recognize Serbian identity documents at the border crossings from this Monday. Serbs with such papers must have a provisional document issued at the border.
According to the Kosovan interpretation, this is a measure based on reciprocity. For a long time now, Kosovan citizens have had to have a provisional document issued when they cross the border into Serbia because the Serbian authorities do not recognize the Kosovar papers. In addition, new rules should apply to the number plates of car owners.
Legend:
Kurti and the political leadership have kept in touch with US and European representatives and have promised to postpone the start of the planned measures in border traffic until April 1st. Postpone September, it said in the government statement.
Reuters
The security situation in northern Kosovo was tense, the NATO mission KFOR announced on Sunday evening. She is monitoring the situation closely and, according to her mandate, is “ready to intervene if stability is threatened.” The NATO-led mission focuses every day on guaranteeing a safe environment and freedom of movement for all people in Kosovo.
Kosovo, now almost exclusively inhabited by Albanians, used to belong to Serbia. In 2008 it declared itself independent. Serbia does not recognize the statehood of Kosovo and claims its territory for itself.