3 hours agoSwiss newspaper: Kosovo insists on equal treatment with Serbia, new tensions caused
Periskopi(5 years ago)
(5 years ago)Negotiations on normalisation have been halted, border crossings have been blocked. Since the beginning of the week, Kosovo no longer recognises Serbian license plates. As mediator, the EU seems powerless. So begins reporting on recent developments in northern Kosovo, the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung, broadcast Express. Members of the Serb minority in Kosovo, which is oriented [...]
Members of the Serb minority in Kosovo, which is oriented towards Belgrade, have been blocking the Jarinje and Brnjak border crossings with trucks since Monday. The government in Pristina has sent special police units to that region, the NZZ writes.
The blockade came in protest against Kosovo's decision to prevent the entry of vehicles with Serbian license plates to Kosovo. The cars registered in Serbia must receive temporary plates at the border to circulate in Kosovo.
This largely corresponds to the practice that has existed for years for Kosovo vehicles that want to enter Serbia. Kosovo residents of Serbian origin regularly travel to Serbia.
Behind the recent dispute lies the unresolved issue of Serbia's recognition of Kosovo's citizenship. Serbia considers Kosovo's independence illegal and therefore does not accept Kosovo emblems, for example, on auto plates, the NZZ writes.
To secure calm border traffic, the two states, mediated by Brussels, found a compromise solution to an agreement in 2016. Thereafter, the entrance was allowed if the national emblems on the license plates were covered with white posters.
In addition, there was the possibility of receiving neutral plates in Kosovo, with which access to Serbia was possible. A similar solution exists in Moldova, where there has recently been tension on plates from the breakaway Republic of Transnistria.
“The reciprocity build”
However, Serbia never implemented the agreement. In Kosovo, on the other hand, the overwhelming majority of automotive owners refused neutral plates. In practice, this meant that Serbian vehicles could enter Kosovo without problems, but most vehicles from Kosovo needed temporary license plates at the border.
The government in Kosovo reasons the decision not to extend the 2016 agreement with the principle of reciprocity. Prime Minister Albin Kurti said Wednesday that once Serbia recognises Kosovo license plates, his country will follow suit.
There is great disappointment from the uneven treatment in Kosovo. Three years ago, then Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj imposed a 100% penalty fee for Serbian products. There are significant non-tariff barriers to Kosovo exports to Serbia. In addition to the plates, all customs documents should be adjusted as well.
I hope Haradinaj's move at the time was Serbia's campaign to convince third countries in the world to withdraw recognition of Kosovo's citizenship.
EU Growth in Influence
EU Foreign Representative Josep Borrell called on both sides to postpone the situation Wednesday evening. Commissioner for Enlargement Oliver Warhely made a similar statement. The conflict, which was exaggerated by Kosovo and Serbia, shows above all the declining EU influence in the Western Balkans, the NZZ writes.
The dispute escalated several days after EU special mediator Miroslav Lajcak was in Pristina and Belgrade to discuss new negotiations.
