What’s going on in Kosovo? Keys to the crisis with Serbia

Tensions are rising on Kosovo’s border with Serbia. after more than 20 years the end of the war, peace is not yet real. The latest conflict began after a new law went into effect this Monday. Kosovo regulations on identity documents and license plates thus, those entering the country from Serbia will have to replace their Serbian identity documents with identity documents valid for three months, issued by Pristina. The Kosovo Government has decided to delay the implementation of the ban for one month until 1 September.

past war

It has been 23 years since the end of the war in Kosovo was declared, but since then normalization has never been achieved in a country. territory still awaiting official recognition By numerous countries, including five from the European Union, including Spain. The war took place in the former Serbian region from the end of February 1998 to June 11, 1999 and drew forces from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (at that time the Republics of Serbia and Montenegro) and the Albanian rebel group. Kosovo, known as the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), with air support from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and ground support from the Albanian army. After the war, Kosovo became an autonomous region under the tutelage of the United Nations, which was then responsible for determining the future status of the region. Negotiations began in 2006 and were hosted by the UN 17 rounds of negotiation However, the Kosovo independence plan negotiated by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari was rejected by Serbia. Kosovo declared independence in 2008 however, it is not yet recognized by Serbia as an independent state, although more than 100 countries do.

current conflict

A series of clashes erupted between Kosovo and Serbia on Sunday, with border crossings and road closures hours after the planned ban on Serbian documents and license plates in Kosovo began. Recently, Kosovo Police closed the Brnjak and Jarinje border crossings to traffic and deployed their patrols in northern Kosovo, where the Serb minority is concentrated, to carry out these checks and change documents. Serbs, who opposed the new measures, they barricaded on the roads leading to these two border crossings from Mitrovica, where they are the majority. Serbia and Kosovo have accused each other of trying to destabilize the region. According to the new measures, those entering Kosovo with Serbian identity cards will be issued a temporary Kosovo document valid for 90 days. In addition, license plates issued by Serbia for Serb-majority Kosovo cities will have to be replaced with official Kosovar ones. The conflict between the two sides began in September 2021, when Kosovo ordered all drivers entering the country from Serbia to use temporary license plates valid for 60 days.

NATO’s role

NATO Force in Kosovo (KFOR)) is a multinational military force that entered Kosovo on June 12, 1999, two days after the United Nations Security Council ratified Resolution 1244. keep order and security in Kosovo, maintaining agreed points in the peace agreement and providing assistance to the program of the UN mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). This Sunday, it announced at the last minute that it was “ready to intervene” if the stability of northern Kosovo was jeopardized after the fighting began. “KFOR will take all necessary measures to maintain a safe environment in Kosovo at all times, in accordance with UN mandate,” he said on his Twitter account after escalating tensions in the north. said. last hours.

Spanish position

Spanish President Pedro Sanchez, He met this weekend with his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vučić, with whom he conveyed his support for Serbia. “We are united in our belief in the need to secure international law and the sovereign integrity of States. We support Serbia in all matters related to KosovoThe government supports the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, but without implying a change in Madrid’s historical position in this conflict. However, the EU is mediating the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina, on which the general normalization of relations and the possibilities of joining the community bloc will depend.

Postponement of measures

After the clashes, the Government of Kosovo decided. postpone for a monthEnforcement of the ban until 1 September Serbian documents and plates He is on his territory after last night’s tensions at the two border points between the two countries. According to a statement made last night, the government of Prime Minister Albin Kurti is mandating that the removal of barricades placed by local Serbs to protest the measure be postponed. The note states that the decision was taken after a meeting with the US ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he is working “to calm the situation”.

Source: Informacion

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