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Kosovo police fire tear gas at Serb protest against appointment of Albanian mayors – JURIST

On Friday, police in the northern Kosovo city of Zvecan fired tear gas at protests opposing the appointment of ethnic-Albanian mayors. The action injured 10 people as local Serbs gathered in front of the Zvecan municipal administration building, according to Serbian state TV. Footage also reported a police vehicle set on fire and the use of flash bangs and automatic weapons.Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on state run television that the Serbian army is on a high state of alert, and Kosovo police have increased their presence in the north to assist mayors as necessary.Blerim Vela, the chief of staff in Kosovo’s government, accused Serbia for being responsible for the protests and said he would hold their “illegal and criminal structures in North Kosovo” accountable for escalating tensions on the ground.The altercation occurred after Serb protesters, who Albanian police report were non-violent, blocked newly-elected Albanian mayors in three communes in northern Kosovo from entering government buildings. Kosovo Serbs boycotted the election of the Albanian mayors in April 2023. Serb communities have been demanding more autonomy locally, particularly in areas in northern Kosovo with high populations of ethnic Serbs.In a joint statement, the US, UK, France, Germany and Italy condemned the police action and called for deescalation from both Kosovo and Serbia to preserve peace in the region.