The Kremlin on Monday called for settling tensions between Serbia and Kosovo through “diplomatic meansafter attacks targeting the police, while demanding that the rights of Serbs beguaranteed“. “We are in favor of the parties making efforts of a peaceful nature to resolve this situation through diplomatic means.Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“We are in favor of ensuring that all the rights of Serbs are guaranteedHowever, he added, Russia being a close supporter of Belgrade due to ancient historical and religious ties.
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Tensions escalated this weekend in northern Kosovo after unidentified gunmen exchanged fire with police officers and threw a stun grenade at European Union law enforcement officers deployed in the area as part of of the Eulex mission.
Serb demonstrators also set up roadblocks that paralyze traffic at two border crossings between Kosovo and Serbia to protest against the arrest of a former policeman.
Pristina and Belgrade swapped accusations after this latest series of incidents, which prompted Kosovo to postpone until April 23 local elections in Serb-majority municipalities originally scheduled for December 18.
The former Serbian province of Kosovo, mostly populated by Albanians, declared its independence in 2008. This independence was recognized by the United States and the majority of EU countries but not by Belgrade, which encourages the Serbian majority from northern Kosovo to challenge the authority in Pristina.
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