Tensions in Kosovo / Protesters injured a policeman and attacked 3 cars

2023-05-31 20:32:36, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Kosovo Police announced that a police officer was injured and three cars were attacked in Leposavi?, Zubin Potok and Zveçan during the day of May 31.

According to the statement of the Kosovo Police, the protests started to become tense in the afternoon, when " some suspected persons threw stones at three vehicles of the Kosovo Police, where two of them were materially damaged by breaking the windows" .

"As a result of the attacks by heavy vehicles, a police official has suffered injuries ," this statement says.

The police mentioned that during the day some "criminal groups" prevented some journalists from carrying out their duties, and their vehicles were destroyed. She called on the protesters to refrain from violence.

Earlier, the Police confirmed through a response to REL that a Kosovo Police car was attacked in Zveçan.

Protesters do not stop/ A police car is attacked in Zveçan
May 31, 16:23

Protests in three municipalities in the north of Kosovo - an area inhabited by a majority of Serbs - began on May 26, when groups of local Serbs gathered in front of municipal buildings to protest against the entry of the new Albanian mayors of Zveçan, Zubin Potok and Leposavi?. .

Elections in the four municipalities in the north, inhabited by a majority of Serbs, were held on April 23 after the resignation of the mayors from the ranks of the Serbian List - the largest party of Kosovo Serbs - in November last year.

The elections were boycotted by the majority Serbian population in that area, which now does not accept the new mayors.

The escalation in the north culminated on Monday, May 29, when KFOR peacekeeping troops intervened in Zveçan "to avoid clashes between the parties and to minimize the risk of escalation", and were attacked by several violent protesters, which the Kosovo government says they were "Serbian criminal gangs".

Tensions again/ KFOR intervenes in Zveçan to disperse Serbian protesters, several soldiers are injured
May 29, 19:31

From this fight that happened, 30 KFOR soldiers were injured.

The United States and allies said that the use of force undermines efforts to normalize Kosovo-Serbia relations and called for calming the situation.

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has defended the actions of the Kosovo Police, which helped install new Albanian mayors in municipalities with a Serbian majority in the north of Kosovo, despite the resistance of local residents./ REL