Serbs in Kosovo clash with police as ethnic tensions flare

MITROVICA (Kosovo): Serb protesters in northern Kosovo blocked main roads for a second day on Sunday following a nightime exchange of fire with police after the arrest of a former Serb policeman, amid rising tensions between authorities and Kosovo’s Serb minority.

In recent weeks Serbs in northern Kosovo, a hotbed of Serb nationalism, have responded with violent resistance to moves by Pristina that they see as anti-Serb.

EULEX, the European Union mission tasked with patrolling northern Kosovo, said a stun grenade was thrown on one of its armoured vehicles on Saturday evening, but no one was injured.

Josep Borrell, EU foreign policy chief, warned the bloc will not tolerate violence against members of its mission.

“#EU will not tolerate attacks on @EULEXKosovo or use of violent, criminal acts in the north. Barricades must be removed immediately by groups of Kosovo Serbs. Calm must be restored,” he wrote on Twitter.

The latest protests were triggered by the arrest of a former police officer on Saturday. He was part of a mass resignation of Serbs from the force last month, after Pristina said it would require Serbs to scrap Serbian license plates dating to before the 1998-99 Kosovo War that led to independence.

For a second day on Sunday, trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles blocked several main roads leading to two border crossings with Serbia. Both crossings were closed for traffic.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has asked NATO’s mission KFOR to remove the barricades.

“We call KFOR to guarantee the freedom of movement (and remove roadblocks)...KFOR is asking for more time to finish this ... so we are waiting,” Kurti said.