Tensions Serbie-Kosovo –
Pristina closes ten “parallel” Serbian municipalities
The Kosovar authorities announced on Wednesday the closure of ten “parallel” Serbian municipalities. Belgrade denounces a “dangerous escalation”.
One of the ten Serbian “parallel” municipalities in question is located in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo.
AFP
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The Kosovar authorities closed ten Serbian “parallel” municipalities on Wednesday, including one in the capital, Pristina, an operation which risks worsening tensions with Belgrade in the run-up to the legislative elections in February.
“The time of Serbia’s parallel and criminal municipalities and institutions in the Republic of Kosovo is ending,” Kosovar Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla said in a message posted on Facebook, detailing the police operation.
“As we promised, we will not allow any “parallelism”, much less criminal activity by Serbia that would violate the Constitution and the rule of law in our country,” he added.
Mr. Svecla added that some Serbian post offices and tax offices had also been closed during this operation launched in the morning in ten localities in Kosovo where Serbs live.
“Dangerous climbing”
This operation follows numerous others aimed at dismantling what Pristina considers to be Serbian parallel institutions operating illegally in territories mainly inhabited by Serbs. Serbian post offices and banks have been closed in recent months, and the use of the Serbian dinar was banned almost a year ago.
-This new operation comes a few weeks before the legislative elections – called for February 9 – which will serve as a test for the policy pursued by the Prime Minister, Albin Kurti. The latter has increased its standoffs with Belgrade.
Serbia has never recognized Kosovo’s declaration of independence in 2008. Belgrade denounced on Wednesday the closure of ten “parallel” municipalities, with the Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs describing this operation by local authorities as a “dangerous escalation”.
“These aggressive actions are not only an attack on institutions, but a blatant attempt to undermine the collective rights and identity of Serbs in Kosovo,” Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric said in a message published on social networks.
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