Monday, February 17, 2025
31 C
Brunei Town
More

    Kosovo Serbs gather to take over municipality buildings

    ZVECAN, KOSOVO (AP) – Ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo yesterday tried to take over the local government buildings where Albanian mayors entered last week with the help of police.

    Kosovar police and NATO-led Kosovo Force were seen protecting the municipality building in Zvecan, one of the four communes to hold snap election last month that was largely boycotted by ethnic Serbs. Only ethnic Albanian or other smaller minority representatives were elected in the mayoral posts and assemblies.

    More than a dozen Serbs and five Kosovar police officers were injured in clashes last Friday, and Serbian troops on the border with Kosovo were put on high alert the same day. Ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo, who are a majority in that part of the country, tried to block recently elected ethnic Albanian officials from entering municipal buildings.

    Kosovo police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd and let the new officials into the offices.

    The United States (US) and the European Union (EU) condemned Kosovo’s government for using police to forcibly enter the municipal buildings.

    On Sunday evening, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom (UK), plus the US and the EU in Kosovo, again issued a statement saying they strongly caution “all parties against other threats or actions which could impact on a safe and secure environment, including freedom of movement, and that could inflame tensions or promote conflict.”

    Polish soldiers guard street in the town of Zvecan, northern Kosovo. PHOTO: AP
    spot_img

    Related News

    spot_img