Balkans | Attempts to reduce tensions between Kosovo and Serbia are gaining momentum

As the barrier problem, which brought Serbia and Kosovo face to face, entered its twentieth day, appeals were made to parties from all over the world to ease tensions, and concrete steps were taken to remove the barriers that caused the crisis.

With the problem of the barrier, which the Balkan states Serbia and Kosovo are facing, entering its twentieth day, calls have been made to parties from all over the world, especially the European Union and the United States, to ease tension, and concrete steps have been taken to remove the barriers that caused the crisis.

The tension, which began with Kosovo Serbs erecting barricades at border crossings in northern Kosovo in response to the December 10 arrest of former Serbian police officer Dejan Pantek, continued for 20 days with joint letters from Kosovo and Serbia.

Many countries and international organizations, especially the European Union and the United States of America, have intervened to reduce the tension sometimes caused by Kosovo and Serbia to the point of “conflict”.

The European Union’s special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak and the US special envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, visited Serbia and Kosovo immediately after the barriers were put in place to discuss de-escalation and a peaceful solution.

Admiral Stewart Benjamin Munch, commander of NATO’s Joint Forces in Naples, Italy, also met with President Aleksandar Vucic in Serbia to discuss tensions between the two countries.

Another important visit to Serbia and Kosovo came from Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias. Dendias visited Kosovo, although his country does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state, and called for de-escalation and continued dialogue.

Many EU countries also expressed concern about the tension in northern Kosovo and stated that a peaceful solution was necessary.

The removal of barriers was announced as a result of the successful attempts of the European Union and the United States of America.

While the Kosovo Serbs’ demand to remove the barricades was to release Pantek, signs were given that the tension might end with yesterday’s development.

After Kosovo declared that Pantik’s detention had been reduced to house arrest, the European Union and the United States intervened again and issued a joint statement to reduce tensions.

The statement expressed the concern of the European Union and the United States about the tense situation in northern Kosovo, and said: “We call on everyone to take immediate action to de-escalate tensions unconditionally and to show maximum restraint to avoid provocations, threats and acts of intimidation.” The statement was included.

Following the joint statement of the European Union and the United States, Vucic met the Kosovo Serbs last night at the Rachka barracks in the border area. Vucic said, in a statement after the meeting, that the barriers that cause tension will be removed from today, and that the process may take between 24 and 48 hours.

Although tension continues to rise at regular intervals in the region, as many incidents occurred in the past 20 days, it is expected that the issue will be resolved and that this will have positive results for both sides.

Serbia considers Kosovo its territory

Tensions stemming from Serbia still seeing Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008, as its territory have pitted the two countries against each other several times.

Recently, the two countries, which were tense after Kosovo declared that the license plates that the Serbian authorities had given to the Serbs in the country in the past months to the “RKS” (Republic of Kosovo) plates, were able to leave the table in agreement with the intervention of the European Union.

Meanwhile, the European Union and the United States presented the Franco-German plan to both countries and demanded that Serbia accept Kosovo’s membership in the United Nations. At this point, he stated that a final conclusion was expected in the spring months.

Serbia and Kosovo, which clash periodically, are trying to find a common way to normalize relations, and eventually the two countries get to know each other, within the scope of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue process that began in 2011 with the mediation of the European Union.

AA