Tensions between serbia and kosovo have been eased following a decision to remove barricades blocking the main border crossing. the main parties involved in this situation were serbia, kosovo, and the ethnic serbs living in kosovo. on 10 december, the ethnic serbs in kosovo began erecting the barricades in protest of the arrest of an ex-police officer, dejan pantic.
Tensions between belgrade and pristina have ebbed and flowed since kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence from serbia in 2008. this escalated into a row over the number plates, with pristina demanding that ethnic serbs surrender serbian-issued vehicle license plates and replace them with “republic of kosovo” plates. this happened on wednesday, when a judge in kosovo ordered mr pantic’s release from custody.
Trigger for the increased tensions was a dispute over the number plates. pristina demanded that ethnic serbs surrender serbian-issued vehicle license plates and replace them with “republic of kosovo” plates. this sparked a mass resignation of ethnic serbs from all of kosovo’s national institutions in november. attempts by the european union, nato and the us to mediate the situation had failed to make a diplomatic breakthrough. only a few people complied with the order to replace serbian-issued vehicle licence plates with “republic of kosovo” plates before the given deadline.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64117730?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA
