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The United States and other allies have criticized Kosovo for using force to install ethnic Albanian mayors in Serb areas, sparking tension with neighboring Serbia. Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vucic, placed the army on full combat alert and ordered units closer to the border following clashes on May 26 between Kosovan police and protesters opposed to the mayors. The protest occurred after a vote in April was boycotted by the Kosovo Serb majority in four northern municipalities near the Serbia border. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowds and the US and Europe condemned the use of force. Kosovo police accused Serbia of staging the incident. Five Kosovo police and around 10 protesters were injured, with local Serbs saying they wouldn’t work with the new mayors in the four municipalities as they did not represent them. Serbs in Kosovo’s northern region do not recognize Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia, and still see Belgrade as their capital. A Western-backed plan agreed upon by Kosovo and Serbia in March aims to defuse tensions by granting local Serbs more autonomy, with the government in Pristina retaining ultimate authority. The situation has been deemed a crisis by Serbia’s president, who has called for a national security council meeting to address it. The EU has called for all parties to “de-escalate the tense situation and restore calm immediately.”
