Air raid sirens on the Serbian-Kosovo border a little while ago. As reported, shots were heard in the Serbian town of Novi Pazar near the border with Kosovo, while air raid sirens sounded at the same time.
It is noted that the whole area is in a state of effervescence. The Kosovo government’s decision to replace all Serbian license plates has caused tension in Belgrade-Pristina relations.
Alpmin Kurti’s Kosovo government has given owners of vehicles in northern Kosovo with plates issued by Serbian authorities a month to replace them with Kosovo plates.
Also, starting today at midnight, Serbian police identity cards will not be accepted for entry into Kosovo, and their holders will obtain a temporary document at the border that will guarantee them a 90-day stay.
It is noted that most Serbs in northern Kosovo are holders of Serbian police ID cards and use Serbian license plates on their vehicles.
Belgrade’s reaction was immediate. The president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, in an emergency press conference, expressed his concern about the situation and estimated that Pristina’s intention is to force the Serbs to leave Kosovo.
“We will not give in. If they dare to persecute and kill Serbs, Serbia will win. Don’t think of starting a pogrom against the Serbs as it happened on March 17, 2014 or in other areas of the former Yugoslavia because it will not pass,” Vucic warned.
Serbia’s president appealed to the international community to intervene to maintain peace and calm in Kosovo while calling on Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti to “come to his senses” and not take actions that will cause tension.
Aleksandar Vucic also called on the Kosovo Serbs to remain calm and not respond to provocations.
It is recalled that a similar crisis over Serbian license plates was caused in northern Kosovo in September 2021 when the Serbs barricaded the crossings on the administrative border with Serbia.
#Breaking: Just in – Reports of gunfire of clashes between Serbian and Kosovo forces between the border of
#Serbia
and
#Kosovo. pic.twitter.com/TBelEgoKK1— Sotiri Dimpinoudis (@sotiridi)
July 31, 2022
#Breaking: Update – Reports of more gunfire between the border of
#Kosovo
and
#Serbia. Unclear what the hell is happening.
pic.twitter.com/Fpw37B5hNy— Sotiri Dimpinoudis (@sotiridi)
July 31, 2022
