Serbia

Three decades after the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia, the ethnic hostilities that ignited the conflict linger on. Kosovo declared its independence from ...

In turn, the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo have used the war in Ukraine to intensify their rhetoric. While the EU remains the key investor in both nations, progress in their efforts to join the bloc has been slow. Kosovo’s Kurti has accused Serbia of serving Russian interests, while Serbia’s Vucuc has said Kosovo officials are trying to exploit alarm over Ukraine for their own purposes. Protests erupted in Kosovo in 1981 following the death of Yugoslavia’s long-ruling Communist dictator Josip Broz Tito. In August, authorities sought to force the minority Serbs to switch to car plates and personal documents issued by the Kosovar rather than the Serbian government. Three decades after the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia, the ethnic hostilities that ignited the conflict linger on.

MITROVICA, Kosovo (Reuters) -Kosovan Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla on Tuesday said Serbia, under the influence of Russia, was aiming to destabilise Kosovo ...

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday, Serbia would "continue to fight for peace and seek compromise solutions." citizens of Serb ethnicity living in Kosovo," Svecla said in a statement. Belgrade had said late on Monday that in light of the latest events in the region and its belief that Kosovo was preparing to attack Serbs and forcefully remove the barricades, it had ordered its army and police to be put on the highest alert.

MITROVICA (Kosovo), Dec 27 — Protesting Serbs in the ethnically divided city of Mitrovica in northern Kosovo erected new barricades today, ...

They see Belgrade as their capital and are backed by Serbia, from which Kosovo declared independence in 2008. Around 50,000 Serbs live in the northern part of Albanian-majority Kosovo and refuse to recognise the Pristina government or the state. Serbia's defence ministry said in a statement late yesterday that in response to the latest events in the region and its belief that Kosovo was preparing to attack Serbs and forcefully remove the barricades, President Aleksandar Vucic had ordered Serbia's army and police to be put on the highest alert.

Weeks of escalating tensions between Belgrade and Pristina have resulted in ethnic Serbs in Mitrovica putting up barricades and Serbia placing its border ...

Follow us on [also read] [World](https://www.firstpost.com/category/world) [Special Kosovo court sentences rebel commander to 26 years in jail for murder, torture](https://www.firstpost.com/world/special-kosovo-court-sentences-rebel-commander-to-26-years-in-jail-for-murder-torture-11820721.html) A statement said no one was injured and “we are working to establish all the facts.” In 1998, ethnic Albanian rebels launched a rebellion to rid the country of Serbian rule. Serbia on Monday placed its security troops on the border with Kosovo on “the full state of combat readiness," ignoring NATO's calls for calming down of tensions between the two wartime Balkan foes. Fears of violence have soared since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine and Kosovo remains a potential flashpoint in the Balkans. Salih Mustafa, 50, was found guilty of abusing prisoners in a makeshift jail in a barn run by the ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in the 1998-1999 independence war with Serbia Earlier in December, ethnic Serbs in the north put up roadblocks to protest the arrest of a former Serb police officer. On Tuesday, a day after Serbia put its troops on the border with Kosovo on “full state of combat readiness,” Serbs in ethnically-divided city of Mitrovica put up barricades. Kosovo’s majority ethnic Albanians, a majority of whom are Muslims, view Kosovo as their country and have accused Serbia of occupation and repression. The events come following weeks of tensions between Belgrade and Pristina and despite NATO’s pleas for the two Balkan foes to take tensions down a notch. Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia are on the rise yet again. Weeks of escalating tensions between Belgrade and Pristina have resulted in ethnic Serbs in Mitrovica putting up barricades and Serbia placing its border troops on ‘full state of combat readiness’

Kosovo closed its biggest border crossing on Wednesday after protesters blocked it on the Serbian side to support their ethnic kin in Kosovo in refusing to ...

They have the support of many Serbs in Serbia and its government. 10, Serbs in northern Kosovo have exchanged fire with police and erected more than 10 roadblocks in and around Mitrovica. But KFOR has no authority to act on Serbian soil. or go through North Macedonia," Kosovo's Foreign Ministry said on its Facebook page, announcing closure of the Merdare crossing. The obstruction is preventing thousands of Kosovars who work elsewhere in Europe from returning home for holidays. 10, only three entry points between the two countries remain open.

The Italian coaches will switch sides in the 2023 international season. Published 08:12, 28 Dec 2022. Share on Whatsapp; Share on Facebook; Share on Twitter ...

It will be a big challenge for me to coach such a strong team in a country that has a very strong tradition in the sport. “I feel extremely honoured to be the coach of the Serbian national team for the next two years,” Guidetti commented. During that period, the team took silver in two editions of the CEV European Golden League (2019 and 2021) and earned gold in the 2018 Mediterranean Games.

Pristina closure of the Merdare crossing on Kosovo's eastern border comes as tensions with its Balkans neighbour spiral.

“And, of course, we support Belgrade in the actions that are being taken.” They have the support of many Serbs in Serbia and its government. Germany’s government also voiced alarm over the ongoing tensions. On Tuesday, two more roadblocks were erected in the north. But KFOR has no authority to act on Serbian soil. NATO’s mission in Kosovo said on Wednesday that it supported dialogue between all parties to defuse tensions in the north of the country.

Political leaders maintained their heated rhetoric as the crisis entered its 19th with Serbs erecting new barricades to block roads including an important ...

That is our position and I hope that this [ban] will not happen again,” Hill told Nova.rs on Tuesday. “Why is someone so hysterically insisting on removing the barricades? It can only go on for days,” Kurti told media on Tuesday. Serbian Army troops are still in position after being deployed near the border with Kosovo. Two other barricades were installed by local Serbs in Serb-majority north Kosovo on Tuesday morning. This was

Kosovo Serbs protest near a barricade erected near the village of Rudare, Kosovo, in renewed flaring of bilateral tensions. (AP pic).

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Belgrade puts troops on high alert as ethnic Serbs resist Pristina's authority.

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MERDARE, Kosovo (Reuters) -Kosovo closed its biggest border crossing with Serbia on Wednesday after protesters blocked it on the Serbian side to support ...

They have the support of many Serbs in Serbia and its government. Late on Tuesday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who said Serbia was continuing to fight peace and seek a compromise, inspected the troops close to the border. Police did not say if it was related to the recent tensions. 10, Serbs in northern Kosovo have exchanged fire with police and erected more than 10 roadblocks in and around Mitrovica. Kosovan Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla said on Tuesday Serbia, under the influence of Russia, was aiming to destabilise Kosovo. The Kremlin on Wednesday also denied the Kosovan accusations but said it supported Belgrade.

The Kremlin said Wednesday Russia “supports” its ally Serbia amid the Balkan country's increasingly strained relations with neighboring Kosovo over recent.

“We support Belgrade in all the actions that are being taken,” he said. “Russia is very closely following what is happening and how the rights of the Serbs are ensured,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Russia says it supports Serbia “in all the actions that are being taken.”

MERDARE: Kosovo closed its biggest border crossing with Serbia on Wednesday after protesters blocked it on the Serbian side to support their ethnic ki...

They have the support of many Serbs in Serbia and its government. Late on Tuesday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who said Serbia was continuing to fight peace and seek a compromise, inspected the troops close to the border. Police did not say if it was related to the recent tensions. 10, Serbs in northern Kosovo have exchanged fire with police and erected more than 10 roadblocks in and around Mitrovica. The Kremlin on Wednesday also denied the Kosovan accusations but said it supported Belgrade. Kosovan Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla said on Tuesday Serbia, under the influence of Russia, was aiming to destabilise Kosovo.

BELGRADE, Dec 28 — Kosovo closed its biggest border crossing with Serbia, police said today, after Serbs set up more barricades on their side in one of the ...

Serbia is ready for a deal," Vucevic told state-controlled public broadcaster RTS. Northern Kosovo has been on edge since November when hundreds of ethnic Serb workers in the Kosovo police as well as the judicial branch, including judges and prosecutors, walked off the job. The latest trouble erupted on December 10, when ethnic Serbs put up barricades to protest the arrest of an ex-policeman suspected of being involved in attacks against ethnic Albanian police officers —effectively sealing off traffic on two border crossings.

They are working with leaders of both nations to seek a political solution to the unrest.

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MITROVICA, Kosovo (Reuters) -The United States, NATO and European Union urged maximum restraint in the north of Kosovo, where authorities closed a third ...

They have the support of many Serbs in Serbia and its government. Two border crossings between Serbia and Kosovo were closed on Dec. Albanian-majority Kosovo declared independence with the backing of the West, following a 1998-99 war in which NATO intervened to protect ethnic Albanian citizens. Around 50,000 Serbs living in northern Kosovo refuse to recognise the government in Pristina or the status of Kosovo as a separate country. For over 20 years, Kosovo has been a source of tension between the West, which backed its independence, and Russia, which supports Serbia in its efforts to block Kosovo's membership of international organisations including the United Nations. The Kremlin, for its part, denied Kosovan claims that Russia was influencing Serbia to destabilise Kosovo, saying that Serbia was simply defending the rights of ethnic Serbs.

The United States, NATO and European Union urged maximum restraint in the north of Kosovo, where authorities closed a third border crossing on Wednesday ...

They have the support of many Serbs in Serbia and its government. Since then, Serbs in northern Kosovo have exchanged fire with police and erected more than 10 roadblocks, demanding his release. Two border crossings between Serbia and Kosovo were closed on Dec. Around 50,000 Serbs living in northern Kosovo refuse to recognise the government in Pristina or the status of Kosovo as a separate country. 10 for assaulting a serving police officer. MITROVICA, Kosovo, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Kosovo Serbs who have been blocking roads in northern Kosovo for 19 days have agreed to start removing barricades from Thursday morning, bowing to calls by the United States and European Union to defuse tensions.

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has urged ethnic Serbs in Kosovo to end protests against the Pristina government, reassuring them ...

Serbs in north Kosovo have erected barricades and blocked roads for about three weeks following the arrest of former police officer Dejan Pantic by Kosovo police. The United States and European Union are mediating talks to resolve outstanding bilateral issues. "We have received guarantees from the United States and European Union that none of the Serbs in Kosovo who participated in protests and who took part in barricades will be prosecuted or arrested," said Petar Petkovic, head of Serbia's government office for Kosovo, in a press briefing.

The European Union and the United States urged Pristina and Belgrade to de-escalate tensions.

[Monday](https://www.politico.eu/article/serbia-army-kosovo-war-nato-tension-combat-readiness/), Serbian Defense Minister Miloš Vučević announced the Serbian army had been placed in its “highest level of combat readiness” following unverified reports that Kosovar police forces had opened fire on ethnic Serbs in Northern Kosovo. diplomats are working with both governments to “find a political solution in order to defuse the tensions and agree on the way forward in the interest of stability, safety and well-being of all local communities,” according to the same statement, which comes from the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the U.S. Authorities [denied](https://m.facebook.com/KosovoPolice) the incident.