ZVECAN, Kosovo, May 26
The mayors of the three northern municipalities’ first day of work were met with opposition from the Serbian community.
When the mayor of Zveçan, Ilir Peci, attempted to enter the premises, the security alarm in this municipality went off.
Serbian residents attempted to obstruct the mayor’s access into the building in front of the building. They used stones and hard items, and the cracking of rifles could be heard. The police used force to remove a gathering of Serbian people who refused to let the mayor enter the municipality.
/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/LUFKKWACDFNMZC6E6ZLFW6PSFM.jpg "A police water cannon tries to extinguish the fire from a burning police car, during clashes between Kosovo police and ethnic Serb protesters, who tried to prevent a newly-elected ethnic Albanian mayor from entering his office, in the town of Zvecan, Kosovo, May 26, 2023. REUTERS/Miodrag Draskic")
The similar thing happened in Leposaviq. Citizens gathered and attacked the Kosovo police officers accompanying this municipality’s mayor, Lulzim Peci.
In this municipality, there was stone pelting and gunshots, and the police were obliged to deploy tear gas to disperse the gathering. The situation in the three municipalities with a Serbian majority eased down in the afternoon.
Municipal mayors ended their job in the evening. KFOR units were installed along the route that connects the municipalities of Zveçan and Leposaviq.
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The scenario produced by the new local mayors’ acquisition of infrastructure has elicited a variety of reactions.
US Foreign Minister Antony Blinken criticized the Kosovo government for forcefully occupying municipal facilities in the country’s north and urged Prime Minister Albin Kurti to reconsider.
According to Blinken, Kosovo’s actions go against US and European guidance and “have sharply and unnecessarily escalated tensions, undermining our efforts to help normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia, and they will have consequences in our bilateral relations with Kosovo.”
We strongly condemn the actions by the Government of Kosovo that are escalating tensions in the north and increasing instability. We call on Prime Minister @albinkurti to immediately halt these violent measures and refocus on the EU-facilitated Dialogue.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) May 26, 2023
“The United States condemns the actions of the Kosovo authorities to enter the municipal buildings in the north of Kosovo,” said Jeff Hovenier, the American ambassador in Kosovo. Today’s harsh tactics must be promptly halted.”
The United States condemns the ongoing action by Kosovan authorities to access municipal buildings in the north of Kosovo. Today’s violent measures should be immediately halted.
— Ambassador Jeff Hovenier (@USAmbKosovo) May 26, 2023
Even American Senator Chris Murphy, who was in Kosovo earlier this week, revealed that he spoke over the phone with the top advisor of the American Department of State, Derek Chollet, regarding Friday’s events in Kosovo’s north.
Even the European Union denounced the violence in the north between police and Serbs, stating that “everyone should take immediate action to de-escalate the situation and restore calm.”
“The European Union strongly condemns the clashes in the north of Kosovo between the Kosovo Police and protesters, which were sparked by the newly elected mayors’ attempt to enter municipal facilities.”
We strongly condemn the attacks on EULEX, the EU civilian mission in Kosovo. EULEX’s mandate must be permitted to be carried out peacefully.
Everyone should act swiftly to de-escalate the situation and restore calm. “The EU will not accept any further unilateral or provocative actions, and maintaining peace and security on the ground must be prioritized,” the EU responds.
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