A Serbian court has released three Kosovo police officers arrested earlier this month, a move that comes after weeks of tension between the two sides.
"The High Court confirmed the indictment against these people and ruled to end the detention of the defendants," the High Court of the Serbian city of Kraljevo announced on June 26. Kosovo's law enforcement chief Albin Kurti later confirmed the information and reiterated the accusation that Serbia "kidnapped three police officers."
Kosovo officials say they are trying to tackle rampant smuggling across the border with Serbia in the breakaway north. Mr Kurti said the arrests of the three Kosovo police officers "may have been a retaliation for the arrest of a Serbian militia leader" in the breakaway region who was accused of involvement in smuggling groups.
Serbian security forces arrest Kosovo police officers on June 14. Photo: Serbian Interior Ministry
Serbia announced on June 14 that it had arrested three Kosovo police officers, calling them a “terrorist group” and accusing them of invading its territory. Serbian officials said the three policemen were carrying automatic weapons, full military equipment, GPS locators, maps and other equipment.
Kosovo authorities have denied Serbia's accusations that the three police officers were kidnapped. Kosovo police said the officers were part of a patrol unit near the border with Serbia and went missing after receiving information about masked men carrying weapons entering the breakaway region.
Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo escalated after the separatist region's government decided to appoint mayors of Albanian origin in four Serb-majority municipalities.
Kosovo Serbs boycotted April local elections in the breakaway north, which gave ethnic Albanian officials control of local councils despite voter turnout of less than 3.5%.
The US, France and Germany have called on Serbia and the breakaway region of Kosovo to reduce tensions. The US has also criticised the decision by Kosovo officials to appoint a mayor of Albanian descent. The European Union (EU) is holding talks to resolve the crisis and ease tensions between Serbia and the breakaway region of Kosovo.
However, the meetings did not appear to produce any breakthroughs. “After a four-hour meeting, I think the leaders clearly understood the gravity of the situation,” said Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief. “They are clearly in different situations with different approaches and interpretations.”
A series of recent clashes in the north of the breakaway region of Kosovo has escalated tensions in the region. Dozens of people were injured in clashes between ethnic Serbs and Kosovo police and NATO troops on May 29. NATO later sent hundreds of troops to reinforce its forces in Kosovo.
Location of Kosovo and Serbia. Graphic: Britannica
Kosovo is a breakaway territory located in southwestern Serbia with an area of about 10,800 km2. The breakaway region has a population of 1.8 million, mainly Albanians. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, Serbia does not recognize and claims sovereignty over this area.
About 120,000 Serbs living in northern Kosovo do not recognize the government in Pristina. They are politically loyal to Serbia. Most Western countries recognize Kosovo's independence, but the breakaway region has not been given a seat at the United Nations due to opposition from Russia and China.
Nguyen Tien (According to AFP )
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