The two main roads in the northern part of Kosovo that lead to the two border crossings with Serbia, in Jarinje and Bërnjaka, were unblocked on Monday afternoon.
It is reported that all the barricades that were placed the day before have been removed from these two roads and they are now free for traffic.
However, the border crossings have not yet been opened for the passage of vehicles or pedestrians.
Klan Kosova reports that the removal of the barricades from the roads in the direction of these two border crossings was done on the recommendation of the chairman of the Serbian List, Goran Rakic.
Roads towards the border crossings with Serbia, in Jerinje and Bernjaka, as well as several other roads in the northern part of Kosovo, were blocked on Sunday afternoon by Serbian extremist groups that enjoy the support of official Belgrade. Trucks and heavy vehicles were placed on these roads, to prevent the implementation of the Kosovo government’s decisions on vehicle license plates and identity cards.
The official Belgrade evaluated these acts of the Serbian groups in the north as reasonable, while the decisions of the Government of Kosovo were described as acts that threaten the security of the Serbs in Kosovo. The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, said that Serbia has a constitutional obligation to protect the Serbian population in Kosovo, recalling that according to the Constitution of Serbia, Kosovo is part of Serbia.
The NATO peacekeeping force in Kosovo, KFOR, announced that it continues to closely monitor the situation in the northern part of Kosovo. On Sunday during the day and in the evening, as well as on Monday, members of this force observed the terrain from the ground and from the air.
Late Sunday, KFOR said that the situation in the north of Kosovo is tense and emphasized that it is ready to intervene, in case stability in Kosovo is endangered.
KFOR also said that “it will take all necessary measures to maintain a safe environment in Kosovo”.
The Government of Kosovo made a decision to postpone until September 1 the implementation of the decisions on vehicle license plates issued in Serbia and on Serbian identity cards. This decision was taken at the suggestion of the ambassador of the United States of America in Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, who made it clear that the USA does not require the reconsideration of the two seats of the Government of Kosovo, but requests that the parties be given more time to avoiding ambiguities.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti said that the postponement of the decisions will be made after all the barricades placed by, as he says, “criminal groups” have been removed from the roads.
