Vucinq call Blinkent, calls for the release of all Serbs arrested by Kosovo police

In this conversation, Vuciq has sought the release of all Serbs arrested by Kosovo Police.

“I said [Secretary Blinken] that Serbia is behaving with seriousness and responsibility, but that even special Kosovo Police units have arrested Serb citizens arbitraryly every day, where I sought the release of all Serbs”, Vuciq has indicated.

I also stressed that immediate resignations of the mayors and evacuations from four municipal objects to the north, as well as the withdrawal of special units, as a key to calming the” situation.

This telephone conversation between Vuciqi and Blinkent comes amid diplomatic efforts by the international community to reduce tensions in northern Kosovo.

Tensions in northern Kosovo began on May 26th, when the young Albanian mayors of Zvecani, Leposaviqi and Zubin Potok, Serb-run municipalities with Serb majority residents, entered the municipal buildings with police assistance.

Since then, Serbs have held protests.

The new leaders were elected on April 23rd, elections that were boycotted by Serbian parties and populations.

In recent days, authorities in Kosovo have arrested several members of the Serb community, under suspicion of having participated in violence against NATO mission soldiers in Kosovo, KFOR, and journalists reporting from the north.

Officials in Serbia and representatives of the Serbian List -- the largest party of Serbs in Kosovo -- enjoying Belgrade's support -- consider these arrests arbitrary.

The international community is urging Kosovo to expand the situation and has submitted three demands: calming the situation in the north, holding new elections in four northern municipalities, and returning to dialogue for normalising Kosovo-Serbia reports.

Meanwhile, official Belgrade is required to ensure that Serbs take part unconditionally in local evental elections.