Protesting Serbs in the ethnically divided city of Mitrovica in northern Kosovo erected new barricades on Tuesday, just hours after Serbia announced that it had placed its army on the highest combat alert following weeks of escalating tensions between Belgrade and Pristina. Mitrovica is located in an area of Kosovo that is known as “Northern Kosovo” due to the fact that it is divided along ethnic lines.
According to the Defense Ministry of Serbia, President Aleksandar Vucic has given the order for Serbia’s army and police to be placed on the highest level of alert in light of recent events in the region and Belgrade’s belief that Kosovo is preparing to attack Serbs and forcibly remove the barricades. This belief is based on Belgrade’s belief that Kosovo is planning to attack Serbs and forcefully remove the barricades.
The government of Kosovo has requested that NATO peacekeepers remove the barricades, but it has also stated that it is able to act and is prepared to do so.
Both Kosovo and Serbia have shown an interest in joining the European Union and have reached an agreement that, as part of the process of joining the EU, they will work to address any outstanding concerns and improve their relations with their neighbors.
What’s Causing All The Tension?
A guerrilla rebellion against Belgrade’s brutal government almost a decade earlier resulted in Kosovo’s independence from Serbia in 2008. This occurred in 2008.
Serbia, on the other hand, maintains the view that Kosovo is an inseparable component of its territory and refutes allegations that it is stirring up tension and war within the borders of its neighbor. Pristina is being accused by Belgrade of violating the rights of the Serb minority in Kosovo.
Only approximately 5% of Kosovo’s 1.8 million people are ethnic Serbs, who do not recognize the administration in Pristina or the institutions of the Kosovan state. On the other hand, ethnic Albanians make up about 90% of the population. The Serbs have expressed their animosity in a variety of ways, such as by refusing to pay the power provider in Kosovo for the electricity they use and by routinely fighting police officers who attempt to make arrests.
What Caused the Stress to Boil over Once More?
Since December 10, when Serbs created various roadblocks and exchanged fire with police following the arrest of a former Serb cop for allegedly assaulting serving police officers during a prior protest, new ethnic tensions have arisen.
The issue of licence plates has been causing friction for some months, which led to the current standoff. As part of its effort to exert its authority over its territory, the government of Kosovo has long desired for the approximately 50,000 Serbs living in the north of the country to replace the Serbian license plates on their vehicles with plates that have been issued by Pristina.
Pristina first agreed to push back the implementation date for the new licence plates until next year, but on July 31, it declared that the plates would be transferred over within a two-month window. This announcement sparked protests.
In November, in response to the impending power transfer, ethnic Serb mayors in northern municipalities, together with local judges and over 600 police personnel, tendered their resignations.
What Are the Serbs Looking For?
The majority Serb population in Kosovo has expressed interest in forming an association of municipalities that would allow them greater autonomy in their day-to-day operations. Since they agreed in 2013 to participate in the discussion that was sponsored by the EU, Serbia and Kosovo have not made significant headway on this or any other topic.
The Question Is, “What Role Do NATO and the EU Play?”
In order to keep the peace in Kosovo, the NATO alliance maintains approximately 3,700 troops stationed there. The alliance has stated that it will take action in accordance with its mandate should there be a threat to peace in the region. Since its deployment in 2008, the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) has maintained a presence in Kosovo with approximately 200 special police officers.