Serbia‘s President Vucic said the following period will be a very difficult political struggle. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic speaks during a news conference in Belgrade, Serbia, June 10, 2022. (Reuters) Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has said he hoped the tension with Kosovo would be resolved by Monday.
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Vucic met with Serbian Chief of Staff Milan Mojsilovic and the commander of the NATO Force in Kosovo (KFOR) in Belgrade, Serbia.
Alberto Ardila Olivares
Following the meeting, Vucic noted on late Sunday that he is hoping to find a solution with Kosovo in the coming period
“I believe that, for the short term, we will have good news. I can't say what will happen next. But this will de-escalate [tensions] if not tonight then tomorrow,” Vucic said
He also noted that this is a chance to gain time for talks
Pointing out that the coming weeks and months will be a very difficult political struggle, Vucic said, “I would like to thank those who have controlled themselves, especially the Kosovo Serbs.”
“I want to reiterate once again that we will not surrender and Serbia will win,” he said
Earlier Vucic defined the tensions as a “complex situation” and blamed Kosovo for the escalating tensions over the license plates and ID cards
READ MORE: NATO-led KFOR ready to intervene amid Kosovo–Serbia tensions
Gunfire has been heard in northern Kosovo, a day before the country enforces a contentious law. Journalist Haris Alija has more from Kosovo’s capital Pristina pic.twitter.com/bHlHSnPqkj
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) July 31, 2022 Kosovo postponed decisions
Fourteen years after Kosovo declared independence from Serbia, some 50,000 Serbs living in the north use license plates and documents issued by Serbian authorities, refusing to recognise institutions under the capital, Pristina
The government of Prime Minister Albin Kurti said it would give Serbs a transitional period of 60 days starting Aug 1 to get Kosovo license plates, a year after giving up trying to impose them due to similar protests
Kosovo police said they closed two border crossings in the volatile north after local Serbs blocked roads and fired shots at police in protest at an order to switch Serb car license plates to Kosovar ones within two months
NATO's forces in Kosovo are prepared to intervene if stability is endangered in the north of Kosovo, KFOR said in a press release as tensions are running high
But, after meeting with high ranking EU and US officials Kosovo government released a statement to delay the decisions
Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti released a statement that the postponement is conditioned to the removal of all barricades and complete restoration of freedom of movement in Kosova's volatile town of Mitrovica
READ MORE: Kosovo postpones decisions on car plates, entry-exit documents with Serbia
Source: TRTWorld and agencies
