Day nine of the barricades set up, North continues to be blocked

The northern part of Kosovo continues to remain blocked, even nine days of placing barricades by Serbs in protest for the arrest of former police officer Dejan Pantic.

Since Saturday, when barricades were established in Rudare, they continue to be there despite international calls for them to be removed. Border points at Jarinje and Brnjak continue to be closed, while in the last two days it was also reported on two other barricades set up by local Serbs.

The barricades preceded a very tense week, where there were bombings and shootout between Serb criminal gangs and Kosovo police, as well as other explosions and attacks on journalists reporting from the site.

Their removal is required to be of those who have determined it. So said this week during his stay in Pristina, Special Emissar of the United States of America for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar.

According to Escobar, the barricades must be removed from the people who established them.

What I mean is less about blaming and more about the way forward. The reality is that we need all to contribute to the process and all contribute to resolving this current crisis. I really believe that the barricades should be removed from the people who put them”, Esobar said yesterday.

That barricades should be removed by political agreement, not bulldozers, and the European mediator in the dialogue Miroslav Lajcak said.

It was Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who stressed that the job has been placed in KFOR's hands, but that the same have required little time until they intervene.

From KFOR, they have not stated when they are aiming to take steps towards removing barricades and eliminating tensions. However, with full conviction they have stressed that they are continuing to remain alert to recent developments in the north, and able to carry out their mission in Kosovo.

“KFOR continues to be extremely vigilant and fully capable of fulfilling its mission, which dates back to the United Nations”, KFOR for Reporter.net said briefly.

Except for the police and EULEX, to prevent the escape of the situation, KFOR stated two days ago to Online Reporter.net that it is in contact with security forces of both sides, Kosovo and Serbia.

KFOR's” Commander continues to be in touch with his counterparts, including representatives of institutions in Kosovo and the Kosovo Security Organisations, as well as with the chief of the Armed Forces of Serbia”, is highlighted in KFOR's response.

Meanwhile, yesterday's Mission NATO in Kosovo, KFOR, has confirmed for the Online Reporter Journal.net that it has accepted the request from Serbia regarding the delocation of up to a thousand Serbian military and police troops in Kosovo.

By KFOR they have declared that they are currently considering this request.

“E we have accepted a request from Serbia and are currently considering it. KFOR continues to be extremely vigilant and fully capable of fulfilling its mission, which dates back to the United Nations”, KFOR told Reporter.net.

Minister Svechla has announced on Saturday, through his Facebook account, that he has stayed on the evening of December 16th in Brnjak, along with Kosovo Police officials engaged there.

The “Institutions of the Republic of Kosovo have all the capacities to remove the barricades and in co-ordination with our international partners are praising the situation for response”, Svechla has said.

The Serbian list has said that Svecla “is not welcome in Serbian municipalities north of Kosovo” and that “has nothing to ask for in our” regions.