In response to the requests from the United States, and the European Union that, a Serbian court has approved the release of three police officers from Kosovo who were arrested earlier this month, as tensions between the Balkan adversaries soar higher.
According to the court in Serbian town of Kraljevo, the police officers will be permitted to return to Kosovo. The three policemen were arrested for unlawful possession of firearms and explosive devices. The court also ruled that, the policemen will be allowed to remain free pending further procedures.
However, the policemen’s return date to Kosovo has not been determined. Fatmir Haxholli, Kosovo’s envoy in Serbia, shared a picture of himself with the three officers on social media with the phrase “Finally,” after the three presumably left the Serbian prison.
Serbia’s principal negotiator with Kosovo, Petar Petkovic, reiterated that, the legal actions against the cops would perhaps go forward. He stated that, it was a court judgment, not a political one.
Officials in Kosovo said, the three were abducted and requested that Serbia be held accountable for allegedly infringing on Kosovo’s borders. President Vlosa Osmani commended the US for ensuring the policemen’s release “after Serbia’s act of aggression in Kosovo.”
Prime Minister Albin Kurti disclosed that “we confirm that the three kidnapped police officers have been released. Even though we are joyous that they get to return to their families, this abduction consists of a serious human rights violation and must be reprimanded. The Serbian aggression must be held accountable.”
Moreover, in the middle of June, the three were taken into custody. In contrast, Kosovo authorities’ claimed that, they were abducted there and transported to a Serbian prison, and Serbia also has accused the three policemen of entering the country illegally from Kosovo.
Furthermore, the issue heightened animosity between the two nations, which had recently erupted into violent clashes in the Serb-majority north of Kosovo, raising concerns of a repeat of the 1998-99 war in Kosovo, which had killed over 10,000 people, predominantly Kosovar Albanians.
Last week, in an effort to reduce tensions, the EU summoned the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo to Brussels. The talks yielded no results, despite EU officials urging both parties to make immediate efforts to alleviate the tension.
The conflict between Serbia and its former province Kosovo dates back many years, and Belgrade has refused to accept Kosovo’s 2008 proclamation of independence. Western initiatives to resolve the problem have recently risen in order to avoid potential unrest in the Balkans while Ukraine is at war.
Tensions erupted again late last month, including violent clashes, after Kosovo police took local government buildings in northern Kosovo of Serbs majority, to install ethnic Albanian mayors elected in a local election in April, after Serbs opposed the vote overwhelmingly.
Serbia has asked that, Kosovo police and mayors withdraw from the northern territory bordering Serbia, as well as the release of many ethnic Serbs imprisoned in Kosovo in recent weeks.
In the wake of that, the United States cancelled high-level visits to Pristina in retaliation to Kosovo’s activities in seizing control of the municipal facilities and withdrew its involvement in a military exercise under American command.
In contrast to Russia and China, who support Belgrade’s claim to the region, Washington and the majority of EU members have acknowledged Kosovo’s independence. NATO’s 1999 intervention to end the war resulted in the loss of Serbia’s authority over Kosovo, and Belgrade was compelled to halt its harsh onslaught on ethnic Albanian separatists.
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