MITROVICA: Kosovo’s primary border crossing with Serbia was back open on Thursday, dialling down growing tensions that had drawn international calls for de-escalation.

Barricades were dismantled on the Serbian side of the Merdare border point and Kosovo announced the crossing was open a day after Washington and Brussels urged both to ease a simmering crisis.

The latest trouble erupted on Dec 10, when ethnic Serbs put up barricades to protest the arrest of an ex-policeman suspected of being involved in attacks against ethnic Albanian police officers — effectively sealing off traffic on two border crossings.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced removal of the barricades late on Wednesday during his meeting with Kosovo Serb representatives near the border.

Kosovo police on Thursday said in a statement that the “Merdare border crossing point has been opened for traffic and has returned to full normality”.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, after a bitter war in late 1990s.

But Belgrade still refuses to recognise it and encourages Kosovo’s 120,000 ethnic Serbs to defy Pristina’s authority — especially in the north where they make up the majority.

After the roadblocks were erected, Kosovar police and international peacekeepers were attacked in several shooting incidents, while the Serbian armed forces were put on heightened alert this week.

The European Union and the United States voiced concern over the situation, urged immediate de-escalation and said they are working with both Serbia and Kosovo leaders to seek a political solution to the crisis.

Political analyst Aleksandar Popov said tensions in Kosovo are so high that it would “only take one stray bullet” to significantly aggravate the situation.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2022