Serbs renew roadblocks in Kosovo amid border tensions

Sep 14, 2011, 12:40 GMT

Belgrade/Pristina - Tensions were on the rise in northern Kosovo Wednesday as ethnic Serbs there once again erected roadblocks to protest a planned government takeover of two border crossings from their enclave into Serbia proper.

One of the barricades thwarted the return of German soldiers from the NATO peacekeeping mission, KFOR, to their base late Tuesday. The Serbs partly removed that barricade Wednesday around midday and allowed the soldiers to pass.

Roadblocks were reported on other roads in the north, as well. The enclave is around one-fifth of Kosovo, which, in turn, is roughly half the size of Israel.

The government of mainly Albanian Kosovo plans to assume control over Jarinje and Brnjak, the only two border crossings to Serbia from the enclave on Friday, saying that action is in line with a trade agreement the European Union brokered with Serbia in September.

But Kosovo Serbs, who are a clear majority in the northern section, and Belgrade, insist that the control over border crossings was not a part of the deal and that the checkpoints should be manned by EU's law-enforcing mission, the EULEX.

Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci has promised to send police and customs officials to the contested crossings, drawing threats from Serbs that they will paralyze the north - and thus prevent the passage of Kosovo officials.

Thaci told Radio Free Europe on Tuesday that Kosovo will assume control over the borders with the support of the 'international factor,' the United States and European Union.

Belgrade is 'without any influence in this process,' he was quoted as saying in the Albanian-language broadcast.

But in Belgrade, Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said the authorities were preparing 'preemptive measures' ahead of the move by Kosovo, planned for Friday.

Dacic said the measures were diplomatic and political, without further elaboration.

A former Serbian province, Kosovo declared independence in 2008, but Belgrade continues to oppose the move and supports the resistance of Serbs in the north to Pristina's authority.

The US staunchly supports Kosovo. The EU deployed EULEX to Kosovo in 2008 to help it build institutions, but virtually no progress has been achieved in the north owing to Serb hostility to Pristina's rule.

Germany recently warned Serbia that it must stop meddling in Kosovo if it wants to move closer to EU membership, but Tadic and his allies shrugged the warning off.

Dacic said 'it would be wrong to assume that Serbia will do anything to acquire the membership candidacy' and that it was a good time to put it under pressure and wrangle concessions for Kosovo.

He also warned that by helping Pristina impose its rule over the Serb enclave and changing 'factual conditions,' the West risks 'fiercer conflicts.'

The last time Kosovo attempted to seize control over the borders, in late July, roads were blocked for days and one Kosovo policeman was killed.

Serbia and Kosovo, in talks they have led under EU auspices since March, reached an agreement in early September to unblock trade and defuse tensions.

But the two sides interpreted the deal differently, with Serbia saying it was only related to passage of goods with the seal of Kosovo's customs, while Kosovo said it meant that Kosovo customs was to assume control over the contested border crossings.

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