For three months, Serbs have been blocking roads with trucks, rocks, mud and logs to prevent the Kosovo Albanian leadership from extending its control over the part of the country populated mostly by ethnic Serbs.
Kosovo is dominated by ethnic Albanians. Many Serbs who live in Kosovo’s north reject the country’s 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia. They have clashed with EU and NATO forces blaming them for supporting Kosovo institutions.
The 5,500-strong NATO-led force in Kosovo, known as KFOR, has demanded an unconditional lifting of the blockade to allow free passage for all, including the EU rule of law mission, known as EULEX.
“Even though the opening of one traffic lane is a step in the right direction, KFOR demands unconditional freedom for KFOR, EULEX and other institutions and citizens,” KFOR spokesman Uwe Nowitzki said.
Serbs partially removed the roadblocks Thursday so the peacekeepers can supply and rotate their troops. But they plan to keep checkpoints to prevent a European Union rule of law mission from transporting Kosovo officials.
“Our intention is to allow KFOR to supply its soldiers and their rotation,” Kosovo Serb official Slavisa Ristic said. “But EULEX won’t be able to pass before some problems are resolved, the main one being their transport of Kosovo customs officials.”
Kosovo Albanian authorities deployed their security forces in July to two border posts in northern Kosovo to enforce a trade ban with Serbia. Serbs reacted by blocking roads, triggering clashes with Kosovo police that left one police officer dead.
