The Kosovo government announced a ban on the entry of Serb cars as part of “security measures” after Serbia arrested three Kosovo police officers earlier this week.
“For security reasons, institutions of Kosovo have decided to increase the level of border controls. Therefore, as an urgent step, it was decided to prohibit the entry of vehicles with Serbian license plates into the Republic of Kosovo, while analysis of the situation by the security institutions continues,” government spokesperson Perparim Krieziu told reporters.
Kosovo media has also reported a government ban on imports of goods from Serbia, along with the ban on entry of Serb cars.
The measures come in the wake of a decision by Serbian authorities to arrest three Kosovo police officers earlier this week, on the basis that the officers were purportedly planning terrorist activities in Serbia.
Serbian authorities allege that the police officers were armed with automatic weapons.
“With the quick and efficient actions of the Serbian police, the attempt of the so-called Kosovo police to invade the territory of central Serbia to carry out an action which by all parameters is a terrorist act with the aim of additional destabilization and escalation of the conflict directed against the Republic of Serbia,” said the statement”, reads a statement of Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Kosovo authorities have rejected the claims, and have described the incident as a kidnapping.
“Three Kosovo policemen were kidnapped today in Leposaviq, in the area of an illegal smuggling route, around 300 meters inside the territory of our country,” Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti wrote on Facebook.
“We call for the officers’ immediate release, and for the international community to denounce these acts,” Kurti continued.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić accused Kurti of intending to provoke a conflict.
“I am afraid we have crossed the Rubicon,” Vučić told reporters.
The Serbian President rejected claims by Pristina officials that the Serbian military was involved in the arrests. He said the army was based miles away from the site of the arrest,
Vučić also hit back at plans by the Kosovo government to ban imports from Serbia as in violation of international regulations. He accused Kosovo of wanting to “starve the people in the north…and expel the Serbs for good.”
Serbian media has published photos of the Kosovo police officers, showing images of them with their hands tied and faces down to the ground. Their radios and service weapons are next to them.
Image via Wikimedia
