The increase comes hours before a new decree comes into effect, according to which Kosovo Serbs with Serbian-issued license plates on cars must re-register them for Kosovo signs (RKS).
On Sunday evening, July 31, in the district of Kosovo-Mitrovica on the Serbian border, the sounds of shooting and sirens were heard, the special forces of Kosovo pulled their forces, reports Kosovo and Serbian publications.
Reinforced forces of Kosovo special forces, NATO KFOR and Italian carabinieri arrived at the bridge over the Iber River. Meanwhile, local Serbs take to the streets, and videos appear on the network with the sounds of sirens and automatic gunfire.
The north of Kosovo is inhabited by ethnic Serbs who are negative about the region’s separation from Serbia. Therefore, they still use Serbian currency there and have Serbian citizenship.
The increase comes hours before a new decree comes into effect, according to which Kosovo Serbs with Serbian-issued vehicle license plates must re-register them as Kosovo (RKS) plates. In addition, Serbian citizens in the territory of a partially recognized state will be issued with temporary documents that will replace those of Serbians.
Local Serbs are building barricades to protest Pristina’s decision to re-register vehicles and ID cards. The construction of the barricades was confirmed by Kosovo’s Deputy Chief of Police in the Northern Region, Besim Hoti.
“There was a road blockade in Zubin Potok near Varag and in Rudar. It seems that false news has been spread that special forces will block the municipality, which is completely false,” he said.
🇽🇰 The shooting was reported near the Serbian town of Novi Pazar near the Kosovo border.
Air raid sirens sound. pic.twitter.com/MCFbKHiqbo
— IntelCrow’s (@intelcrows) July 31, 2022
The headquarters of KFOR peacekeepers said they were “monitoring the situation and collecting information.”
The 2011 agreement between Serbia and Kosovo grants temporary – for 5 years – the use of neutral documents and license plates by Kosovo’s northerners. Despite the fact that the transition period has long ended, all attempts to force the Kosovo Serbs to switch to national documents only caused mass protests.
This time, Kosovo wants to achieve its goal – from August 1, neutral documents and car signs will no longer be valid.
Serbia was actively involved in this conflict, supporting the Kosovo Serbs. Serbian President Aleksander Vucic even hinted at a possible military solution to the conflict. According to him, if Pristina “decides to persecute the Serbs, brutalize the Serbs, kill the Serbs, Serbia will win.”
However, this means a challenge to the KFOR peacekeepers, and, accordingly, a declaration of war on NATO.
Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.