Serbs in northern Kosovo said they’re quitting jobs at state institutions such as police and judiciary in protest over a government order that all citizens must use car license plates issued by Kosovan authorities.
Tensions between minority Serbs and the majority Albanians have risen since the government in Pristina made another attempt to enforce registration rules on Serbian residents. It’s a decree that local Serbs have defied with the backing of authorities in neighboring Serbia.
Kosovo last week extended the timeline for ethnic Serbs to replace their identity documents and license plates, following U.S. appeals to avoid escalating a dispute that almost led to clashes in late August.
The order will be phased in, starting with warnings until Nov. 21 then followed by fines for violators until March, and full enforcement as of April.
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, in a Facebook post on Saturday, urged Serbian citizens in Kosovo “to keep calm, peace and security.”
“I am not against you, but Belgrade is against me,” Kurti said of the Serbian capital. “I am a prime minister who will serve you by respecting the constitution and legality of the Republic of Kosovo.”
Kosovo, which is predominantly ethnic Albanian, seceded from Serbia in 2008 after a war of independence that ended with a NATO bombing campaign driving out Serb forces in 1999. Serbia has vowed never to recognize it. The countries are under pressure to resolve the conflict as they seek integration in the European Union.
