Seven years from ban on Serbian train entry into Kosovo

Belgrade seven years earlier had launched a train towards Kosovo, decorated with Serbian flags, with the inscription “Kosovo is Serbia” in 20 medieval languages and iconography.

The train was launched without Pristina's permission, which praised the goal for its entry into Kosovo as provocation and violation of its sovereignty and thus prevented its entry.

The launch of the provocative train, according to Belgrade authorities, was a <x0 test with the aim of establishing Belgrade's regular line of Belgrade ão Mitrovica”.

Then President Hashim Thaci was clear in his stance that the nationalist poster train should not be allowed in Kosovo.

Kosovo respects freedom of movement of people and goods. But the entrance of a train wrapped in nationalist posters from Serbia, which are contrary to the Constitution and Kosovo laws, is totally unacceptable. Furthermore, on this train there are travelers and senior officials of Serbia who do not have permission to enter Kosovo under procedures in power”, he had said.

Even then Prime Minister Isa Mustafa had stated that he would not allow such provocations aimed at turning Kosovo and the region into dark years and with unpredictable consequences. The train, according to Serbian authorities, had been stopped in Rashka, a municipality in southwestern Serbia. then Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vuciq accused Pristina of provocation, while complaining to EU foreign policy chief Federica Moghrini of the time and warned he would notify Russia, China and the US of saying that Pristina is playing war games.

Then US Ambassador to Pristina Greg Delaway called on both sides for restraint, saying there is a need for normalisation, not for confrontation.

But then Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic was threatened to send the army to Kosovo, as it prevented the Serbian train from entering its territory. However, his statements were more a nationalist rhetoric than reality, as in Kosovo he would face NATO. Tensions between the two countries were closely transmitted by foreign media, which wrote that the <x0-combatage used between Kosovo and Serbia is the theatre thunder because violent clashes between the two states are not expected, but the incident shows how fragile peace and stability are in the Balkans”. / KP