Kosovo, 5 May -- Kosovo, known as the "powder keg" of the Balkans, has been escalating recently. According to Reuters, on the 30th local time, violent clashes occurred between NATO soldiers who maintained order and Serb protesters, and about 29 NATO soldiers were injured. According to Serbia, 25 Serbs were injured. Earlier, Serbian President Vučić signed an order to raise the combat readiness of the army to the highest level and ordered the army to urgently move in the direction of Kosovo.

Dozens of people were injured as a result of the violence

Vučić called a meeting of representatives of the five countries

On the 29th local time, in front of three government buildings in Kosovo, NATO's Kosovo Force and Serb protesters clashed violently.

On May 2023, 5, local time, NATO's Kosovo Force clashed with Serb protesters.

In a statement, the force said several soldiers of the Italian and Hungarian KFOR had been subjected to "unprovoked attacks" and "burns and fractures as a result of the explosion of incendiary devices."

Hungarian Defense Minister Christoph Sarai-Bobrovnitsky said seven of the Hungarian soldiers were seriously wounded and would be sent to Hungary for treatment. Another 7 soldiers were wounded.

Italian soldiers were also wounded in the clashes. "What is happening is absolutely unacceptable and irresponsible." Italian Prime Minister Meloni issued a statement denouncing that "it is important to avoid further unilateral actions by the Kosovo authorities, and all parties concerned should immediately take a step back to ease tensions." ”

Serbian President Vučić said 52 Serbs were injured, three of them seriously. Vučić accused Kosovo leader Kurti of creating tension and called on Kosovo Serbs to avoid clashes with NATO soldiers, "protest peacefully, and we will do our best to maintain peace." ”

According to a report by the Russian Satellite News Agency on the 30th, due to changes in the situation in Kosovo, Vučić announced that representatives of the United States, Britain, Germany, France and Italy were convened to a meeting on the morning of the 30th local time.

Kurti accused Vučić of "destabilizing Kosovo."

Local elections became the trigger

The combat readiness of the Cypriot army has been raised to the highest level

The violence was triggered by local elections held in northern Kosovo in April, in which some ethnic Albanian officials won elections with a turnout of less than 4.3 per cent. Local Serbs said they would not accept election results that "do not represent their interests." Last week, in defiance of calls from the European Union and the United States for restraint and de-escalation, the Kosovo authorities appointed these municipal officials.

On 5 May, the Serb governor appointed by the Kosovo authorities and the local police attempted to enter the Serb administrative building, clashing with Serbs gathered in front of the administrative building. The Kosovo Police used detonation bombs and tear gas to drive away Serbs gathered in front of the Government building.

Infographic: Serbian President Vučić.

On the same day, Serbian President Vučić signed an order to raise the combat readiness of the Serbian army to the highest level and ordered the army to urgently move in the direction of Kosovo.

Russia Today (RT) reported that Vučić accused Kosovo leader Kurti of trying to become "the next Zelensky in the Balkans" in an interview on Serbian television on May 5.

"I fear a major conflict because Kurti dreams of becoming Zelensky, and the Serbs can't bear it," Vučić said. He noted that the leadership of the Kosovo authorities had behaved "extremely irresponsibly and made provocative statements."

According to the information, Kosovo is an autonomous province of the former Federal Republic of Serbia, which was entrusted by the United Nations after the end of the Kosovo war in June 1999. In February 6, Kosovo unilaterally declared independence, but Serbia has always insisted on its sovereignty over Kosovo. (End)