Kosovo's leader accused Serbia of planning and organizing clashes between protesters and NATO troops in the breakaway region.
“The escalation of the situation on May 29 was well planned, well organized and behind the Serbian authorities,” the head of the Kosovo law enforcement agency Albin Kurti said on June 5, referring to the clash between people of origin. Serbia and NATO peacekeepers in the town of Zvecan earlier this week.
Mr Kurti accused Serbian authorities of "mobilizing criminal groups to incite clashes", saying that many people of Serb origin in the breakaway Kosovo were "forced to act as living shields during such criminal attacks". Mr. Kurti has not announced any specific measures to ease the tension.
Serbia has not commented on the Kosovo official's report.
Protesters of Serbian origin clash with NATO soldiers in the town of Zvecan, Kosovo on May 29. Image: Reuters
Clashes between police and protesters of Serbian origin broke out in front of the administrative building of the town of Zvecan, Kosovo on May 29. Peacekeepers from NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR) initially tried to separate the protesters from the police, then used shields and batons to disperse the crowd.
Some protesters threw bricks, bottles and burning bottles at the NATO soldiers, but they were quickly pushed back several hundred meters from the building. Clashes left more than 30 NATO soldiers and more than 50 protesters injured.
After the May 29 clash in Zvecan, hundreds of Serbs continued to gather in front of the city's administrative building, which was cordoned off by a barbed wire fence and housed NATO soldiers in riot gear. standing around.
Kosovo Serbs boycotted April's local elections in the breakaway north, which allowed Albanian officials to control local councils despite turnout of less than 4%.
The Serb community in the breakaway region also demanded the withdrawal of the Kosovo special police, as well as the Albanian mayor, which they did not consider representative of their ethnicity.
After meeting with Serbian leaders on June 1, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said they had urged Kosovo to open new elections in four cities and towns in the breakaway northern region. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Antony Blinken called on both Serbia and Kosovo to reduce tensions.
Location of Kosovo and Serbia. Graphics: British
Kosovo, with an area of about 10.800 square kilometers, is a breakaway territory located southwest of Serbia. Kosovo declared independence in 2, but Serbia does not recognize and claim the area. Kosovo has 2008 million inhabitants, mostly Albanians.
Some 120.000 Serbs living in northern Kosovo do not recognize the government in Pristina. They are politically loyal to Serbia, which still provides financial support to the community. Most Western countries recognize Kosovo's independence, but the breakaway region has not been given a seat at the United Nations, due to objections from Russia and China.
Nguyễn Tiến (Follow AFP)
