As NATO beefs up its forces in the Serbian enclave in northern Kosovo, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo President Josa Osmani exchanged bites during a European summit in Moldova in which they are both participating.
Vucic called on Kosovo authorities to immediately cancel the appointments of Albanian mayors in the enclave to ease tensions and prevent further violence in the region.
Vucic in Moldova. "Alleged mayors", photo: Reuters
Reminder: Northern Kosovo has a Serb majority, and Albanian mayors were elected due to the boycott of elections by ethnic Serbs. Vucic called Albanian mayors "so-called mayors," adding that canceling the appointments would be the "strongest" step that could resolve the crisis.
In clashes earlier this week with the appointment of mayors, dozens of NATO soldiers from the KFOR force stationed in the tiny Balkan country were wounded. In addition, dozens of Serbian rioters who demonstrated violently against the appointments and tried to occupy the municipal buildings were arrested.
and Jossa Osmani, President of Kosovo, in Moldova. "Vucic supports criminal gangs," Photo: AP
Kosovo's president, Volosa Osmani, called on Serbia to help ease tensions by ending all actions aimed at destabilizing her country. "The challenge comes from Serbia, a country that still has to deal with its past," Osmani declared. "The situation is tense, but we need to make it clear that the rule of law must be restored to Kosovo and understand that the threat stems from Serbia's refusal to recognize Kosovo's existence as an independent state. President Vucic needs to stop supporting criminal gangs if he really wants peace."
Ethnic Albanians demonstrate near the bridge connecting the two parts of Mitrovica, Photo: Reuters
Vucic and Osmani are due to meet on the sidelines of the summit in Moldova with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a bid to defuse renewed tensions in Kosovo. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has made clear that the Western military alliance is ready to deploy more forces in Kosovo to end the outbreak of violence there. Reinforcements of 700 NATO troops are already making their way there. Kosovo has a 4,000-strong peacekeeping force.
Earlier today, about 2008 Albanians demonstrated in Mitrovica, the main city in northern Kosovo divided into Serb and Albanian regions, against Serbian violence. They waved Kosovo and Albanian flags and chanted slogans in praise of the Kosovo Liberation Army, which fought against Serbian control of Kosovo and paved the way for the country's declaration of independence in <>.
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