EU invites Serbia and Kosovo to mediation talks

After the renewed escalation of tension between Serbia and Kosovo, the European Union called the conflicting parties to a crisis meeting in Brussels. The aim is to provide advice on how to move forward and prevent a recurrence of such tensions, a spokesman for the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in Brussels today. Differences can only be settled through dialogue and negotiations.

According to the spokesperson, the EU was invited after Kosovo, at the request of Borrell and the United States, agreed to suspend initially controversial travel rules for Serbs. These stipulate that no Serbian identity documents will be recognized at border crossings. Instead, a provisional document should be issued to Serbs as of today. The Kosovar authorities justify this by a similar measure by the Serbian authorities when Kosovar citizens cross the border.

In reaction to the planned new regulation, Serb militants erected barricades yesterday in northern Kosovo, which is mainly inhabited by Serbs. In addition, shots were reportedly fired in the direction of the Kosovo police officers.