TIRANA, October 27 – The calls launched to the government of Kosovo by the US and the EU for a 10-month delay in implementing a rule that allows ethnic Serbs in northern areas to change their car license plates to Kosovar state ones have been opposed by its highest officials.
This move could exacerbate ethnic tensions, Kosovo’s prime minister Albin Kurti said on 25 October.
The deadline is 31 October and local Serbs living in the north of Kosovo have started resistance. It’s reported that some cars were burned down on Thursday by local Serbs who declared they don’t accept the change of the Serb car plates.
Since 1 September, when Pristina tried to force it to rule over plates, talks between Serbia and Kosovo have failed to reach a resolution under the auspices the US envoys and the European Union.
NATO has approximately 3,700 peacekeepers present on the ground and has asked both countries to seek a solution, not add more tension to an already troubled region.
When asked by reporters what will happen on 1 November, when the deadline expires, Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic said that “difficult times are ahead of our people”. /Argumentum.al
