Tensions in Kosovo: the reasons for anger

Violent incidents took place on 26 and 29 May in the Serb-majority north of Kosovo, between the local population and the Kosovo Special Police, and then NATO soldiers. The reason for these tensions: the entry into office of controversial mayors, whom the police wanted to escort to the town halls, while the inhabitants did everything to prevent them. Many people were injured (90 people over the two days).

Giant Serbian flag during a protest in the northern Kosovo city of Zvecan on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. AP - Bojan Slavkovic

Text by: Laurent Rouy

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From our correspondent,

At the origin of the clashes, a protest movement that dates back to last year. A majority of Kosovo Serb civil servants resigned from the country's institutions in protest against the policies of the Albanian-dominated government. On 23rd April the government organised municipal elections in four Serb-majority towns, which no longer had a mayor. But the Serbs boycotted the elections. The result: 97% abstention and 3% turnout, that of the few Albanians who live in this region, and the election of Albanian mayors that the Serbs do not want.

>> READ ALSO: Clashes in northern Kosovo leave dozens injured

A week later, the protests continue. The town halls are currently occupied by the Kosovo police, the government refusing to evacuate the buildings as requested by NATO. However, there are no more clashes or violence. The two sides are separated by soldiers from KFOR, NATO's mission in Kosovo, which has urgently deployed 700 reinforcements.

US diplomacy angry at Kosovo government

In a rare outburst of candor, the US ambassador to Kosovo accused Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti of bearing responsibility for the incidents and attempting a diversionary maneuver to avoid fulfilling his commitments. He even announced a symbolic sanction against Kosovo, which is being deprived of its participation in a NATO exercise. This is the first time ever that the United States has publicly attacked Kosovo.

These accusations confirm the thesis that the Kosovar Prime Minister provoked the crisis, to avoid having to grant the Serbs an "Association of Municipalities". It is an institution with certain executive powers, promised in 2012 during negotiations, but never put in place. Moreover, it was because this association of municipalities was not created that the Serbian civil servants had resigned in the first place from the institutions of Kosovo.

>> READ ALSO: Kosovo: the Prime Minister under fire of criticism but supported by the Albanian population

New elections

Prime Minister Albin Kurti spoke on 1st June for the first time about the possibility of organising new elections in contested town halls. This is a total turnaround on his part, because he defended tooth and nail the controversial and elected mayors with 3% of the voters. It must be said that the diplomatic pressure was too strong. President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz have also reproached Albin Kurti and called for new elections.

A mechanism exists in Kosovo law. But for that, Serbian voters would have to make the request, that is to say, they would have to stop boycotting the institutions. It is now up to them to decide.

>> READ ALSO: Tensions in Kosovo: "Too much gap between what Pristina wants and what Belgrade wants"

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