Kosovo Closes 2 Border Crossings with Serbia

Kosovo announced on Saturday that it has closed two of its border crossings with Serbia following protests on the Serbian side, where demonstrators blocked roads and turned back travelers carrying Kosovo-issued documents.

The protests are part of rising tensions in northern Kosovo, as reported by Reuters.

A small group of protesters gathered a few kilometers inside Serbia, near at least three border crossings, checking whether drivers held travel documents issued by Kosovo.

The protest comes in response to the latest actions taken by Kosovo's government in the predominantly Serb-inhabited north of the country.

Kosovo's Interior Minister, Xhelal Sveçla, stated on his Facebook page, "Masked extremist groups inside Serbian territory are selectively and in a fascist manner preventing citizens from crossing through Serbia."

In response, Kosovo closed the border crossings at Merdare and Bërnjak, although four other border points between Kosovo and Serbia remained open.

The protests were organized in opposition to Pristina's recent measures in northern Kosovo, where parallel institutions run by Belgrade were shut down.

This northern region, home to around 50,000 Serbs, does not recognize Kosovo’s independence, and like Serbia, they consider Belgrade their capital.

Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia have been long-standing since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a move that Serbia has refused to recognize.

The recent protests are a continuation of the broader regional instability, with the closure of institutions in the north exacerbating an already volatile situation.

Kosovo’s decision to close the border crossings is seen as an attempt to mitigate the disruption caused by the protests, but the situation remains tense as both sides grapple with unresolved issues regarding sovereignty, governance, and territorial integrity.