Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 7 deaths, 173 new cases (media)
• Prime Minister Kurti received Quint ambassadors and Head of EU Office (media)
• Kosovo Foreign Minister: Tensions are a unilateral action by Serbia (media)
• Citizens can be provided with temporary license plates starting today (media)
• Kurti: Cooperative security remains our main task and engagement (media)
• Lajcak: Reduce tensions, allow freedom of movement (Express)
• Civilian police officers are removing "KS" license plates in Prishtina (Koha)
• Bislimi: Opening Serbia's state archives helps locating mass graves (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• 34 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic says he refused Quint’s proposal for solution, demands withdrawal of troops from northern Kosovo (RTS)
• At Jarinje and Brnjak calm; crossing possible only by foot (media)
• Lajcak concerned over situation in northern Kosovo, calls for immediate de-escalation (Kosovo-online)
• Vucic: I don't see the point of dialogue at the moment (media)
• Petkovic: Belgrade “fought in all ways“ to extend KS licence plates (N1)
• Temporary RKS license plates: The origin story (KoSSev)
• Mustafa: The reciprocity measure punishes Albanians in Presevo (Beta, NMagazin)
• Brnabic and Selakovic at the General Session of the UN (B92, Tanjug)
• Opposition in Serbia on the issue of Pristina’s reciprocity measure (media)
• Trial plates still not issued in central Kosovo (Kosovo Online, KiM radio)

International:

• Protesters block Kosovo-Serbia border, tension still high (AP)
• Kosovo: New restrictions on Serbian license plates spark protests (DW)
• EU leaders accuse Biden of disloyalty to allies (politico.eu)

 

 

Albanian Language Media  

 

COVID-19: 7 deaths, 173 new cases (media)

Seven deaths from COVID-19 and 173 new cases from the virus were recorded in Kosovo in the last 24 hours. 1,434 persons recovered from the virus during this time. There are 7,635 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Prime Minister Kurti received Quint ambassadors and Head of EU Office (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti, together with the Minister of Internal Affairs Xhelal Svecla, received in a meeting the ambassadors of the Quint countries and the head of the European Union Office in Kosovo: the charge d'affaires at the Embassy of the United States of America, Mr. Nicholas Giacobbe, Ambassador of Germany, Mr. Joern Rohde, Ambassador of the United Kingdom, Mr. Nicholas Abbott, Ambassador of France, Mrs. Marie-Christine Butel, Deputy Chief of Mission of Italy in Kosovo, Mr. Ugo Ferrero, and the Special Representative and Head of the European Union Mission in Kosovo, Mr. Thomas Szunyog.

In this meeting, they discussed Monday's decision regarding the provision of temporary license plates for vehicles with Serbian license plates while entering the territory of Kosovo.

“Prime Minister Kurti informed the ambassadors that there were no incidents at any border crossing yesterday and today. He said that yesterday's decision is neither provocation nor discrimination against anyone and that the Kosovo Police has been and is professional, correct and efficient.

The law has been implemented, equal treatment is ensured, said the Prime Minister, emphasizing that special units are there only to protect the border police and border crossings. Their current presence is there because dozens of protesters have blocked the roads leading to border points 1 and 31 and in their vicinity. Police talked with the protesters and did not violate them, said Prime Minister Kurti, adding that freedom of movement is fair and worth not being violated.

In this reciprocity of temporary license plates for cars, either Kosovo and Serbia are right or they are both wrong. So, either both countries will keep those types of license plates, or let us both, Kosovo and Serbia remove them, said Prime Minister Kurti.

He also informed the ambassadors about the telephone conversation he had last night with the Vice President of the European Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Mr. Josep Borrell.

Minister Svecla said that police officers are at the level of duty and are contributing to maintaining order and security. Serbian citizens do not have to feel scared, he stressed. The measures taken are not against them nor against anyone else. The police do not deal with the nationality of the passengers. It protects and respects all citizens without distinction, said the minister.

The ambassadors and Prime Minister Kurti agreed that peace and calmness, stability and security must be maintained, and that dialogue must continue and the situation must de-escalate,” informs a press release issued by the Office of the Prime Minister.

Kosovo Foreign Minister: Tensions are a unilateral action by Serbia (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, said today that the Kosovo government’s decision on reciprocity with Serbia on the issue of license plates is in line with the agreement signed by both parties in Brussels and that the tensions caused in the north should be seen as a unilateral action by Serbia. Gervalla made these remarks in a meeting with her Slovenian counterpart, Anze Logar.

Citizens can be provided with temporary license plates starting today (media)

Kosovo’s Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a statement on Monday saying that starting from today citizens can be provided with temporary license plates in all vehicle registration centers. Below is the full statement:

Ministry of Internal Affairs, in order to continue informing the public and at the same time enabling the free movement of citizens, after the expiration of the agreement of 14 September 2016, notifies the citizens that in addition to the possibility of equipping them with temporary license plates of the Republic of Kosovo at all border crossings, from tomorrow at noon can be equipped in all Vehicle Registration Centres in the Republic of Kosovo.

While citizens who continue to circulate at the exit from the Republic of Kosovo in the direction of Serbia, they can use Serbian license plates, but at the entrance and circulation within the Republic of Kosovo, they must be provided with temporary license plates of the Republic of Kosovo, according to today's decision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Kurti: Cooperative security remains our main task and engagement (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti said today that the Republic of Kosovo is a country that promotes stability and security not only for its citizens but for the whole region and beyond. During his address to an online conference “Kosovo Security Force and partners”, Kurti said Kosovo aims to become part of regional and global structures of security, in particular NATO and the European Union. “We also want to be part of regional initiatives and to promote peaceful neighborly relations in order to increase stability and trust between countries in the region,” he said.

Kurti also expressed deep appreciation for the important role of NATO through KFOR in the security sector in Kosovo and in safeguarding a safe and secure environment. “However, we need to continue our institution building to ensure defense and security for all the citizens of our country, from a nation that is a consumer of security to a provider of security. Our government is committed to advancing the capacities of the Kosovo Security Force in order to serve alongside armies of NATO member states in vital peacekeeping operations. Therefore, we are conducting an analysis of different aspects of the security sector. The Minister of Defense has proposed the amendment on defense laws, which has been approved by the government. I hope you can all help the Ministry of Defense on this matter with the professional expertise from your countries,” he said.

Lajcak: Reduce tensions, allow freedom of movement (Express)

The EU envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, has expressed concern about the situation in northern Kosovo. Lajcak has called for a reduction of tensions, reports Gazeta Express.

“I briefed EU HoMs on the situation in the north of Kosovo. I’m concerned & call for immediate deescalation. It’s important to reduce tensions, restore a peaceful atmosphere & allow for freedom of movement. We stand ready to facilitate talks on all open issues in the Dialogue,” Lajcak wrote on Twitter. 

Civilian police officers are removing "KS" license plates in Prishtina (Koha)

The civilian police authorities have started to remove the "KS" license plates from the residents in the village of Lebane in Prishtina, who have been using them so far. They will be replaced with temporary "RKS" plates. The action for removing and replacing the license plates started on Monday at the border crossings.

The decision of the Government of Kosovo to replace the "KS" and Serbian license plates with temporary ones has been opposed by Serb residents. As of Monday, dozens of them are staying in Jarinje, while the forces of the Special Unit of the Kosovo Police and those of KFOR are present.

The removal of "KS" license plates was done in some villages of the Municipality of Gracanica.

Bislimi: Opening Serbia's state archives helps locating mass graves (media)

The Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi spoke in the Commission for Missing Persons about the opening of the state archives of Serbia. Bislimi said in front of the MPs that in those archives there is information that specifies the location of the mass graves in the territory of Serbia in those archives.

"There are still around 1632 missing persons, most of them believed to be in the territory of Serbia. Since everything was organized by the Serbian military and police logistics, it is logical to expect the information to be archived in the Serbian state archives," Bislimi said.

He further added that even if Serbia has destroyed the archives, international investigators can easily detect such destruction.

" But to us, it is important not to have official obstacles. As long as Serbia insists for their archives to remain closed, we have the right to suspect that there is valuable information there because Serbia has submitted part of the archives to The Hague but has selectively decided which documents to send and which not, ” Bislimi said. 

 

 

 

Serbian Language Media

 

34 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas (Kosovo-online)

Out of 105 tested samples in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo, 34 were positive for Covid-19, Crisis Committee of Mitrovica North announced today, Kosovo-online portal reports.

At the same time 61 persons have completed a two-week isolation period.

Currently there are 259 active cases in the Serbian areas in Kosovo.

A total of 165 persons have died in the Serbian areas since the outbreak of the pandemic. 

Vucic says he refused Quint’s proposal for solution, demands withdrawal of troops from northern Kosovo (RTS)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said today, following the session of the Serbian National Security Council, that Serbia demands urgent withdrawal of all troops that intruded the north of Kosovo and Metohija and urgent response of the EU if Brussels agreement exists. Vucic added he has refused “alleged compromise solution of Quint that would humiliate Serbia”.

Addressing the media after the session, Vucic said several decisions, conclusions, proposals and recommendations were made.

He said Serbia will continue insisting on preserving peace, stability and safety, but also full safety of the Serbian population in Kosovo and Metohija.

“We find the statements equalizing Belgrade and Pristina inappropriate. Serbia wishes to continue the dialogue, however, it doesn’t want to accept agreements (deriving) from criminal actions”, Vucic said.  

Vucic added he spoke this morning with ambassadors of the most powerful states, Quint ambassadors, about what, as he said, “alleged compromise solution” should look like.

“I have refused that solution because it was not a compromise but rather a solution that would humiliate Serbia. It was a solution by which 70 percent of what Albanians intended to do at the administrative line they would forget, and introduce 20/30 percent of measures. I have the consent of the Council to refuse it. I have rejected it as I am fed up with politics of ‘a fait accompli’ and you can’t talk to Serbia in such  a manner”, Vucic said.

Vucic added Serbia wishes to demonstrate good will and leave some time to Pristina to change its bad decisions, and if they do not want that “we will take measures aiming at protecting Serbia. I informed Quint members and the EU representatives about everything. I told them that in the face (…)”, he said.

He illustrated the situation with an example from a shop, saying there is an agreement that five kilos of oranges costs 1000 RSD, and that agreement is not respected.

“You pay for it, the seller takes the money and when you ask for oranges he responds – no, no, these are special oranges, you need (to pay) more, and you say the agreement was five kilos for 1000 dinars, and then the quarrel erupts, and police officer comes. The (police officer) is Quint and they tell you, calm down, you are the same, you add 300 dinars more and that is a compromise solution then. No one would agree to such barbaric acts of Pristina any longer”, Vucic said. 

At Jarinje and Brnjak calm; crossing possible only on foot (media)

It has been calm at the administrative crossings of Jarinje and Brnjak since this morning, reported Serbian media. 

Roads are still blocked, so there is no passenger traffic except on foot. According to KoSSev, Merdare crossing is already crowded because of the trial RKS plates. According to the portal, special units of the Kosovo Police are deployed in the immediate vicinity of the crossing, just like yesterday.

As reported by the Radio Television of Serbia, the citizens slept in tents at the Jarinje crossing, and the passenger vehicles that the citizens left yesterday were still parked

At Jarinje, about 30 trucks and several vans are waiting to enter Kosovo, and the crossing is only possible on foot

Banners with the inscription "Welcome to the Community of Serbian Municipalities" were placed at the Jarinje crossing and in the northern part of Mitrovica, the media reported.

At the administrative crossings of Jarinje, Brnjak and Merdare, license plates from the north of Kosovo are confiscated, and vehicles with signs from central Serbia must take test plates and pay a fee.

Portal Kosovo online reported that the number of gathered citizens in Jarinje is higher than yesterday. People are bringing water and food to the gathered ones. According to the portal more and more citizens are joining those who spent the night in Jarinje in protest of the measures started by the Kosovo Government.

Members of ROSU units were not noticeable. They were next to their armored vehicles and there were no provocations.

As the portal reported, the impression is that Serbs do not intend to leave the protests. Their message is that they want a withdrawal of the decree of the Kosovo government regarding license plates and seek the establishment of the Community of Serbian Municipalities.

Lajcak concerned over situation in northern Kosovo, calls for immediate de-escalation (Kosovo-online)

EU Special Envoy for Belgrade-Pristina talks Miroslav Lajcak took it on Twitter to comment on the latest situation in northern Kosovo caused by Pristina’s decision to introduce reciprocity in terms of license plates, Kosovo-online portal reports.

“I briefed EU HoMs on the situation in the north of Kosovo. I am concerned and call for immediate de-escalation. It is important to reduce tensions, restore a peaceful atmosphere and allow for freedom of movement. We stand ready to facilitate talks on all open issues in the Dialogue”, Lajcak wrote.

The portal recalled that following the visits to Pristina and Skopje, Lajcak arrived in Belgrade yesterday and met Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.   

Vucic: I don't see the point of dialogue at the moment (media)

President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic addressed the public from the Palace of Serbia yesterday, following Pristina reciprocal measures on license plates and situation in the North. 

At the beginning of his address, Vucic said that it was one of ”the most difficult days for our people in Kosovo and Metohija”.

"It is the most brutal intrusion with about 350 people, many long barrels, more than 20 armored vehicles, snipers stationed in many places, I guess, we have evidence of that, they covered the houses of young Serbs who would oppose the terror of the Pristina authorities,'' and added that an action was carried out unilaterally, without any agreement with anyone ''maybe with their mentors'', said Vucic, reported RTS. 

He pointed out that the units with long pipes were sent to the north without the consent of the mayors of the four municipalities, and that this was ''the most brutal attack of about 350 police officers who came to do the work of the traffic police''.

He stated that no one had agreed with Belgrade and that Belgrade had only warned them not to do so.

"When you are dealing with people who are not responsible and whose goal is only to expand their power, then it is very difficult to reach a rational solution," said Vucic.

"We know how to protect our country"

Vucic announced that the measures of the Serbian side would be discussed at the session of the National Security Council, scheduled for today.

"I hope that we will not have to take our measures, both economic and political, because that would not be good for the entire region, especially for our relations with Pristina," Vucic said, reported RTS.

He asked the representatives of the international community to reason with the unreasonable ones and to bring them to civilized behavior.

"If they do not want that, we will be able to protect our country, there is no doubt about that," Vucic emphasized.

He also said that he would discuss at the Security Council session on Tuesday how and in what way he would supply people in the north of Kosovo in difficult conditions and how to enable them to live normally.

"If you think I should flatter someone in the world because the elections are coming, you don't know either the Serbian people or me as one of the representatives of the Serbian people. I told the truth, and everyone knows it. If they want us to have normal relations, great, if they do not want to, we will keep the peace, but as these measures affect us terribly, our measures will not be painless for the other side, in the economic sense above all," said Vucic.

Pristina refuses to form ZSO for 3,076 days

He also pointed out that Pristina has been refusing to form the Community of Serbian Municipalities (ZSO) for 3,076 days, which is provided for in points 1 to 6 of the Brussels Agreement, stating that Pristina's explanation that it can be formed only if it is under the jurisdiction of the Constitutional Court.

"Who cares about that? They say it could be formed as an NGO without authorization. And when their constitutional court says return the land to the Decani monastery, they say no and that it is unconstitutional," Vucic said.

Missing persons and Veljko

Speaking about the issue of the missing, which Pristina insisted on being on the table during the dialogue, Vucic said that Belgrade agreed to that, but that then Pristina asked for the exemption of Veljko Odalovic.

"At the last meeting on dialogue, Pristina said that it would no longer talk to us on any issue except the issue of the missing, and when we came to the issue of the missing, then they said they could not talk to us because of the head of the Commission, Veljko Odalovic. Then we said, let's put aside that and talk on a technical level so that we could return the bones of their children to parents, whether Serbs or Albanians, so that they could bury them and mourn them as befits civilized people," Vucic said.

He said that Pristina asked for 22 locations, and that Belgrade investigated 22, while Pristina did not investigate 9 out of 10 that Belgrade asked for. 

"I am endlessly fed up with the stories about the calls to both sides. Now I ask those who talk about what Serbia did, what we threatened them with, what is the thing we did against them, except that we do not respect them as a state, which they are not," said Vucic.

"Serbia must be ready for dialogue, but I don't see the point"

Vucic said that Serbia must always be ready to talk and that in the most difficult conditions and in the most difficult circumstances, it must be ready for dialogue.

"I don't see the point of dialogue at the moment. I don't see it, because someone didn't explain to a person that, as we say an entity or a province, and they, a country or a state, what is signed, that it must be respected. That it has the force of an international agreement, signed under the auspices of the EU," said Vucic and pointed out that the Pristina side says that it had not been signed by a legitimate leadership in Pristina.

"And you have to listen to it dead serious. Someone tells you, that he does not want to put into action what he does not like, and what he likes, he will do it by force and by misinterpreting it. If someone can explain how it is possible, and where in it is any justice and logic, I would like to hear it," said Vucic.

Todosijevic’s case, Petkovic’s visit ban

He also reminded of the case of Ivan Todosijevic from Zvecan, who was convicted because he told ‘’the truth about Racak and did not have the majority of judges of Serbian nationality in the court panel, which was agreed’’.

"You don't even know, the Pristina 'minister' was here the other day, doing his job. And when Petar Petkovic has to go, then he can't, they say he made bad statements, which His Majesty Kurti did not like".

"If the danger to the lives and property of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija continues, we will call on KFOR and NATO to react, but we will not allow a repeat of the pogrom of Serbs that happened in 2004. We want a compromise and we always talk about every issue," Vucic said.

The Serbian President said that he ‘is sick and tired of appeals to both sides’, claiming that Pristina was taking unilateral steps.

He also said that the issue of license plates was raised ‘countless times’. 

“I am present all the time at technical level meetings, I have been here since 2012, there is no one who has been present in the dialogue for nine years. We warn EU representatives about this. The essence is that all this was extracted from the Brussels agreement, they extracted what they like, and what is the essence and the core they do not implement, and that is the establishment of ZSO," said Vucic as a response to a media question.

Petkovic: Belgrade “fought in all ways“ to extend KS licence plates (N1)

Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said Tuesday Belgrade "fought in all ways" to extend the use of 'KS' license plates for the Serbs in Kosovo for another five years, ahead of the deadline that expired on September 15, N1 reports.

Petkovic told Pink TV that despite the agreement signed in 2016, Pristina unilaterally in September 2020 issued an administrative instruction banning the issuance of status-neutral ‘KS’ plates which were used by Serbs in Kosovo.

Kosovo Albanians use ‘RKS’ license plates, N1 recalled.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3Avtfke

Temporary RKS license plates: The origin story (KoSSev)

The announcements on the introduction of what the Kosovo authorities refer to as reciprocity – the abolition of Serbian plates bearing the marks of cities in Kosovo and the introduction of temporary plates for vehicles from Serbia, have been rampant for months, years even. The Kosovo authorities previously stressed that the decision is just a matter of implementing the previously reached agreements. Belgrade also claims to insist on the realization of the Brussels agreements, while accusing Pristina of unilateral implementation. 

“After September 14th, no vehicle in Kosovo will be allowed to carry ‘KS’ license plates, but car owners will have to replace them with RKS license plates” – the announcement arrived from Pristina in February this year.

Even at the time, the end of the five-year agreement, signed in September 2016 in Brussels, was cited as the reason behind this decision.

There was a noticeable lack of reaction from official Belgrade to the multiple announcements on the license plate reciprocity by the Kosovo government.

At this time last year, the Kosovo government announced that the owners of vehicles with KS license plates, when extending the vehicle registration, will no longer be able to use the same license plates, i.e. that they would have to switch to RKS license plates.

At that time, however, the five-year agreement to extend the use of KS plates until 2021 – when a new decision on the issue will be made – was still underway.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3krx4kX

Mustafa: The reciprocity measure punishes Albanians in Presevo (Beta, NMagazin)

The president of the Albanian National Council in the Presevo Valley, Ragmi Mustafa, said today that the decision on reciprocity for the license plates from Serbia in another aspect punishes the inhabitants of the Presevo Valley, reported Beta.

According to him, Albanians welcome any action that strengthens the state of Kosovo, but the decision on reciprocity in another aspect punishes the inhabitants of the Presevo Valley.

"As hostages of Pristina-Belgrade relations, this decision will directly affect the inhabitants of the Presevo Valley. These inhabitants are historically and traditionally connected to Kosovo. We expect the Government of Kosovo to go further and seek reciprocity in rights, that the Albanians in the Presevo Valley enjoy the rights that Serbs have in Kosovo," Mustafa said.

Brnabic and Selakovic at the General Session of the UN (B92, Tanjug)

Serbian PM, Ana Brnabic and the Head of Serbian Diplomacy, Nikola Selakovic will take part in the session of the United Nations General Assembly until September 26.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during his stay in New York, Selakovic will have numerous bilateral and multilateral meetings with the heads of diplomacy and other officials of the UN member states.

Selakovic will also take part in the accompanying events that will be organized during the general debate of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly.

The general debate begins today, and there will be more than 100 heads of state or government in New York on that occasion.

Unlike last year, when leaders addressed through videos due to the coronavirus pandemic, the presence in New York is now allowed.

See at:https://bit.ly/2XEDgxe

Opposition in Serbia on the issue of Pristina’s reciprocity measure (media)

The President of the "Oslobodjenje" (Liberation) Movement, Mladjan Djordjevic accused the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic of not being able to fight for the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities (ZSO) in Kosovo for eight years.

"While ROSU is in Kosovo, and removes the plates from Serbs, Vucic takes the ZSO out of the drawer and falsely presents this non-existent creation as a kind of diplomatic success...Eight years the great statesman Vucic is not able to form the ZSO, which is defined as an association of citizens," it was aid in a statement.

He added that spreading banners that read "Welcome to the CSM (ZSO)'' is a frivolous move in a situation where the ZSO is not even established, because Pristina has been blocking the process for eight years.

The president of "Oslobodjenje" asked Vucic whether the goal of Serbia is to form the ZSO or to preserve sovereignty.

Former Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Zivkovic said the replacement of status-neutral "KS" plates in northern Kosovo was "part of the agreement" that (Aleksandar) Vucic signed with Kosovo Albanians five years ago, and that everything that is happening now is "a consequence of Vucic's policy" .

Zivkovic, who is also the former president of the Nova Stranka (New Party), told Danas that "every surprise and wonderment of the authorities in Belgrade" regarding the incursion of the Kosovo police into northern Kosovo, and the confiscation of "KS" plates at the crossings with Serbia, "can only mean that after five years, Vucic realized that he had made a mistake when he signed that document "and that it was" only his fault "

"That is why he is now trying to play the savior of Serbs and Serbhood, but we are witnesses that wherever Vucic, Dacic and Vulin, as well as their mentors Milosevic and Seselj, defend Serbs, there are no Serbs there anymore. That is why I am now afraid for those Serbs from Kosovo that Vucic is trying to defend," said Zivkovic. 

He assessed that the session of the National Security Council, which was urgently convened by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic regarding the situation in northern Kosovo, "is just another farce and an indication that Vucic realized that he made a mistake by signing an agreement five years ago, whose provisions are now coming into force".

The president of the Dveri movement, Bosko Obradovic asked the Serbian government to annul all previous Brussels agreements and end the current dialogue with the authorities in Pristina, which, in his opinion, should continue in the United Nations Security Council.

He added in a statement that the Government of Serbia should request the return of up to 1,000 members of the Serbian state staff to Kosovo, which is foreseen by UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

The president of the Dveri movement also assessed that the previous negotiations in Brussels were "only to the detriment of the Serbian people".

"The best example is the Community of Serbian Municipalities, which was never formed while Serbia under the rule of the Serbian Progressive Party agreed to give up the police, prosecutor's office, judiciary, energy, telecommunications and many other competencies in Kosovo and Metohija," Obradovic said.

Trial plates still not issued in central Kosovo (Kosovo Online, KiM radio)

Dozens of owners of vehicles with license plates of the Ministry of the Interior of Serbia are in front of the registration center in Laplje Selo, municipality Gracanica.

Although it was announced yesterday that the trial plates will be issued after 12 o'clock, their issuance has not started. 

Media learned that the officials of the Registration Center are expecting instructions from the Ministry of the Interior of Kosovo on the issuance procedure.

Replacement of KS for RKS vehicle plates undergoes smoothly.

The latest news is that the plates have arrived, but not the instructions on how the employees of this center can issue them to drivers, reported KiM radio.

 

 

International 

 

Protesters block Kosovo-Serbia border, tension still high (AP)

The Kosovo-Serbia border on Tuesday remained blocked by ethnic Kosovo Serbs protesting a move by Kosovo authorities to start removing Serbian license plates from cars entering the country.

Trucks have blocked the road to the Jarinje and Brnjak border crossing where small groups of Serbs spent the night in tents. An Associated Press photographer wasn’t let onto the road. Other people crossed the border on foot.

Tensions soared Monday when Kosovo special police with armored vehicles were sent to the border to impose a rule on temporarily replacing Serb license plates from cars while they drive in Kosovo.

See more at: https://bit.ly/3zs6i09

Kosovo: New restrictions on Serbian license plates spark protests (DW)

Kosovo began applying new rules on vehicles with Serbian license plates entering the country. While the scheme to have drivers swap out for local registration is about reciprocity, tensions have soared.

Ethnic Serbs in the north of Kosovo blocked roads leading to the two border crossings with Serbia on Monday. It came after Kosovo authorities announced drivers with Serbian plates would need to cover them or remove them and swap them out for local registration upon entry to Kosovo.

The new rules affect registration plates produced in Serbia. Motorists with the plates will now need to use a local Kosovo registration which is valid for about 60 days and costs €5 ($5.86).

See more at: https://bit.ly/3nS5krH

EU leaders accuse Biden of disloyalty to allies (politico.eu)

Charles Michel says Trump was ‘clear’ about disliking Europe, Ursula von der Leyen says ‘business as usual’ can’t continue.

The EU’s top leaders on Monday bluntly accused U.S. President Joe Biden of disloyalty to the transatlantic alliance, and demanded he explain why he misled France and other European partners in forging a new strategic tie-up with the U.K. and Australia in the Indo-Pacific.

The extraordinary rebuke of the new American president, whose election was celebrated across Europe as an opportunity to rejuvenate ties after the four years of belligerence and combativeness of Donald J. Trump, raised the prospect of a grave and prolonged breach among Western powers.

See more at:https://politi.co/3hOA5Ko