Kosovo, Agreement with Belgrade regarding documents and license plates for the Serb minority. Accusations were exchanged until a few hours after the agreement

Tensions and mutual accusations continued until the last minute with Belgrade That still denounces the will Pristina “We want new clashes and unrest.” Then the agreement, announced by the High Representative of the European Union via Twitter Josep Borrell: “As part of the EU-facilitated dialogue, Serbia agreed to cancel entry/exit documents for Kosovo ID card holders and Kosovo agreed not to provide them to Serbian ID card holders.” Solution arrives a few days after submission ban For Kosovar Serbs to use car documents and number plates issued by the Belgrade institutions scheduled for September 1. A measure that has already been postponed for a month until the end of July After the riots and protests That he was afraid of repeating these days and avoided the agreement of the last few hours.

“Kosovo Serbs, as well as all other citizens, will be able to travel freely between Kosovo and Serbia using their ID cards. The European Union has just received guarantees to this effect from the Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Corti. This is a European solution. We congratulate both leaders on the decision,” Borrell wrote in his announcement of an agreement that remained in doubt until the end. In fact, to date, the respective leaders have not issued conciliatory statements with the Serbian prime minister. Aleksandar Vucic who accused Corte of “desire for new clashes and disturbances”. This issue was ignited in September 2021 when the Kosovo authorities imposed Serbian license plates removed One of the cars that enter the country and ask to be replaced with another, temporary and identifiable by initials RKS – Republic of Kosovo. It is a measure that reflects, according to Pristina, the unique measure adopted by the Serbian authorities. From there succession of provocations and mutual accusations also entered the discussion He fliesWhich at the end of July appealed to Pristina, the United States and the European Union “to put an end to provocations and respect the rights of Kosovo Serbs”.

With Belgrade not recognizing Kosovo’s independence and Pristina intending not to surrender to diverting number plates to Serbs residing in the north of the country, the risk of escalation has also led to a push Boy to interfere with the Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenbergwhich at two press conferences In mid-August the Prime Minister of Pristina was scolded above allUltra-nationalist Kurti. Our peacekeeping mission in Kosovo focuses on the mandate it received from the United Nations: should the situation deteriorate We are ready to intervene. Dialogue is the only solution for the region,” Stoltenberg announced in the presence of Serbian leader Vucic and Prime Minister of Kosovo. And again: “We have in Kosovo 4 thousand soldiers And their presence already has the value of stability. the mission infidels He is in contact with the authorities in Belgrade and Pristina and this helps to avoid misunderstandings: if necessary, we will move our forces where they need to be increased and if the situation requires it, we will act in a proportionate manner.”

At the end of July, demonstrations and barricades by the Serb minority in Kosovo closed the borders of Republika Srpska Show me And the brinjakForcing the authorities to suspend the crossings. The protests had persuaded Pristina to wait a few weeks before the procedures for identity documents and license plates, scheduled for August 1, could be implemented. Even today, Belgrade has been relaunched, allowing Pristina to be able to issue its own identity documents for practical reasons and to facilitate travel: “However, it will not be exclusive and will not represent tacit recognition of independence Sovereignty of the State of Kosovo. Belgrade, which does not recognize the independence of Kosovo, cannot allow Kosovo Serbs to be treated as foreigners.” Borrell tweeted, “We have an agreement,” could end the relationship for good.