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The fragile peace between the Serb and Albanian communities in Kosovo has been shaken this weekend by the tuition crisis.
What status does Kosovo have?
Kosovo is the last Balkan territory born from the implosion of the former Yugoslavia in the bloody birth of war in the 1990s. The former Serbian province declared itself independent in February 2008, 10 years after NATO bombing ended the conflict between Pristina and Belgrade, forcing the Serbian government to sign peace with the Kosovo Liberation Army (and establishing autonomy under the UN).
In the last 14 years, the sovereignty of Kosovo has been recognized by a hundred countries, including Spain and four other Europeans.
Neither Russia, an ally of Serbia, nor China or India.
The EU, however, acts as a mediator in the negotiations between the two neighbors for a future normalization of relations that will lead to accession to the community bloc.
What relationship does Serbia have with its former province?
Belgrade rejects the sovereignty of Pristina and accuses it of repressing the Serb minority, which represents around 10% of the population (compared to 90% of Albanians) and is concentrated in the north, in the Mitrovica area.
Is there peace between both communities?
There is a coexistence guaranteed by KFOR, the NATO military force in charge of ensuring compliance with UN resolution 1244, which brought peace after the 1999 war. However, tensions between the two communities are frequent.
On Sunday, KFOR itself threatened to "intervene in accordance with its UN mandate" if the stability of the territory was threatened by the clash between the two communities.
How many troops does NATO maintain in the territory? KFOR maintains almost 4,000 soldiers on the ground in Kosovo with a mission to maintain the delicate balance in the territory while the peace negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina remain stalled. What has happened this end week with license plate controls?
The government of the nationalist Albin Kurti has decreed the obligation for Serbs to carry Kosovar identity documents and license plates, and last weekend imposed controls to verify that the measure was obeyed, which set fire to the Kosovar Serb community, which came to block border crossings in the north.
The Kosovo Police closed the Brnjak and Jarinje to traffic and deployed patrols while NATO helicopters flew over the area.
The Kosovar Executive accused the Serbs of "
and pointed to the Serbian government of President Alexander Vucic for "inciting" and "preparing" numerous "acts of aggression."
How has the crisis been closed? Rather than being closed, it has been postponed for a month, until next September 1, after pressure from the US through Ambassador Jeffrey Hovenier.
The head of European diplomacy welcomed the decision: "Pending issues must be addressed through an EU-facilitated dialogue and focus on the complete normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, essential for their integration into the Union," he said. .
The European Union has invited the parties to negotiate in Brussels to resolve their tensions.
and pointed to the Serbian government of President Alexander Vucic for "inciting" and "preparing" numerous "acts of aggression."
How has the crisis been closed? Rather than being closed, it has been postponed for a month, until next September 1, after pressure from the US through Ambassador Jeffrey Hovenier.
The head of European diplomacy welcomed the decision: "Pending issues must be addressed through an EU-facilitated dialogue and focus on the complete normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, essential for their integration into the Union," he said. .
The European Union has invited the parties to negotiate in Brussels to resolve their tensions.
How has the crisis been closed? Rather than being closed, it has been postponed for a month, until next September 1, after pressure from the US through Ambassador Jeffrey Hovenier.
The head of European diplomacy welcomed the decision: "Pending issues must be addressed through an EU-facilitated dialogue and focus on the complete normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, essential for their integration into the Union," he said. .
The European Union has invited the parties to negotiate in Brussels to resolve their tensions.
How has the crisis been closed? Rather than being closed, it has been postponed for a month, until next September 1, after pressure from the US through Ambassador Jeffrey Hovenier.
The head of European diplomacy welcomed the decision: "Pending issues must be addressed through an EU-facilitated dialogue and focus on the complete normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, essential for their integration into the Union," he said. .
The European Union has invited the parties to negotiate in Brussels to resolve their tensions.
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