PRISHTINA, Sept. 21 – There are renewed tensions between Kosovo and Serbia as Belgrade protests a new measure on vehicle license plate reciprocity by the Kosovo government.
Kosovo authorities decided Monday to force Serbia-registered vehicles to use temporary Kosovo license plates while in Kosovo. They say they are simply following reciprocity agreements that have seen Kosovo vehicles go through the same measure in Serbia for years.
But there has been anger at the northern border, where groups of angry Kosovo Serbs blocked the highways, forcing Prishtina to send in special police forces to keep it open.
The conflict boils down to sovereignty. As Serbia doesn’t recognize Kosovo’s independence, it doesn’t allow vehicles with RKS (Republic of Kosovo) license plates in its territory, forcing them to get temporary license plates and pay a fee at the border. Kosovo says it will now do the same.
Kosovo’s government said the measure was spelled out in an agreement with Serbia as part of the EU-mediated normalization talks.
“Our citizens have been paying for their temporary plates for 10 years. We don’t want [any temporary plates], but as long as theirs are on, so will be ours,” Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti told parliament in Prishtina.
Serbian officials called Kosovo’s decision “a provocation,” while Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic called an urgent meeting of the National Security Council.
Vucic warned there would be economic and political measures taken as a response.
“I hope we will not have to take our own measures, both economic and political, because this would not be good for the whole region,” he said, adding Serbia would “not allow the persecution of Serb residents” in Kosovo.
Both the European Union and the United States issued statements urging the immediate lowering of tensions.
The European Commission, through its spokesman, Peter Stano, urged both sides to immediately exercise restraint and refrain from unilateral actions.
“Freedom of movement is one of the cornerstones of the European Union and as such we expect both Kosovo and Serbia to promote freedom of movement in the region,” he said in Brussels.
U.S. officials echoed the statement.
“We join the European Union in calling on Kosovo and Serbia to exercise restraint, refrain from further unilateral actions, and reduce tensions – immediately, without delay,” the U.S. Embassy in Prishtina tweeted.
Kosovo and Serbia had agreed in EU-mediated talks in 2016 to allow the free movement of people through the border.
