MOSCOW, 28 Dec The self-proclaimed Kosovo authorities closed the largest checkpoint «Merdare» on the way to central Serbia after blocking the roads at the checkpoint by protesters from the Serbian side, reports Reuters.
It is noted that after the closure of two more checkpoints earlier in December, only three checkpoints remain open.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the self-proclaimed republic urged those who are already in Serbia to return through other checkpoints or through North Macedonia.
The day before, it was reported that the Serbs in Kosovska Mitrovica in northern Kosovo set up new barricades on the roads.
Earlier, the self-proclaimed Kosovo police reported that the Yarine and Brnyak checkpoints at the exit to central Serbia remain closed indefinitely. The reason for this decision was called the barricades on the respective highways.
Tensions remain in Kosovo and Metohija. Police in the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo in December detained several police officers in the north on suspicion of war crimes during the 1998-1999 conflict and terrorism. On December 10, Kosovo Serbs erected barricades because of this and are on duty on the highways in the north of the region.
The situation on the barricades themselves in the municipalities of Leposavić, Zvecan and Zubin Potok remains peaceful, at night local Serbs are on duty in tents. During the day, local women also come out to the barricades. In the Serbian segment of social networks, videos of the movement of military equipment in the municipality of Raska and the flight of Mi-35 helicopters of the country's Air Force are being distributed.
On December 15, the Prime Minister of the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, handed over Pristina's application for EU membership to the Czech Republic presiding in the Council of the European Union. In response, the Serbian Ministry of Defense transmitted a request to the command of the NATO KFOR mission to introduce a limited contingent of up to 1,000 Serbian police and military forces into Kosovo and Metohija in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1244. A number of EU countries — Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia and Romania — do not recognize Kosovo.