Following the unrest in northern Kosovo, the NATO-led international protection force KFOR has increased its presence in the region. "We call on all sides to refrain from actions that could promote tensions or provoke an escalation," the force said in a statement distributed on Tuesday. KFOR, which has been stationed in Kosovo since 1999, will continue to work "neutrally and impartially" for security in Kosovo. We call on the governments in Belgrade and Prishtina not to refuse the EU-led dialogue, as this is the only way "to peace and normalisation".

Michael Martens

Correspondent for Southeastern European countries based in Vienna.

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The increase in troop presence follows recent tensions in the four Serb-majority communities north of the Ibar River in the hinterland of the ethnically divided city of Mitrovica. The area borders Serbia. The local population does not accept Kosovar rule. On Monday, about 30 military personnel and probably at least as many Serbian demonstrators were injured in clashes between KFOR soldiers and the local population. According to the troops, 20 soldiers of the Hungarian contingent and eleven of the Italian contingent were injured, including by incendiary bombs. According to Serbian sources, more than 50 demonstrators, some of them violent, were also injured.

Serbian mayors for Albanian citizens

The latest escalation had been on the horizon since the end of last week, but had been looming for a good month. It dates back to the local elections held in April in the four northern municipalities. These had been put out to tender after the Serb population in northern Kosovo, including mayors, almost completely withdrew from local institutions in November 2022 in protest against the policies of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

It is not only Belgrade's view that Kurti is systematically preventing the formation of a federation of Serb-majority municipalities and enclaves in Kosovo, even though the Kosovar government would actually be obliged to allow such an association under an agreement brokered by the EU. With reference to this non-fulfillment of a contractual commitment, the Serbian officers serving in the Kosovo police in the north had also resigned en masse at the end of 2022. They were encouraged to take this step by Belgrade and receive financial help from the Serbian budget. Belgrade's position is that the Serbs will not return to the institutions until the Association of Municipalities is established.

Voter turnout below 3.5 percent

In order to reoccupy the abandoned town halls, Kurti had local elections organized in the affected communities, which were boycotted almost unanimously by the Serb majority. Voter turnout was less than 3.5 percent of the 45,000 eligible voters. Only one Serbian candidate ran at all – and received five votes. As a result of the boycott, Albanian mayors were elected in all four Serb-dominated municipalities in the north, as the small minority of Kosovo Albanians living there took part in the elections.

Immediately after the few ballots were counted just over a month ago, the EU had criticised the fact that such an election would not be a political solution to the conflict in northern Kosovo in the long term. This can only happen if the Serbs return to the institutions. The EU joined Serbia's demand that Prishtina finally allow the establishment of the Association of Municipalities, which has been pending for years.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who wields great power in northern Kosovo and cannot control events completely, but to a large extent, praised the boycott at the time as a "peaceful uprising by the Serbian people". He warned Kurti against trying to use the elections as a pretext to try to seize power in the north. This could lead to a "catastrophe", according to Serbia's president.

Clear criticism from Washington

After the new mayors tried in recent days to gain access to the town halls with the support of the Kosovo police against the resistance of local residents, this warning seemed to come true. Western countries, including Germany, had warned Kurti against such a step.

The United States became particularly clear. "The U.S. condemns the continued actions of the Kosovo authorities to gain access to urban buildings in northern Kosovo. Today's violent measures should be stopped immediately," the American ambassador to Prishtina warned at the end of last week, adding: "We strongly condemn the actions of the Kosovar government, which are exacerbating tensions in the north and increasing instability. We call on Prime Minister Albin Kurti to immediately stop these violent measures and refocus on the EU-facilitated dialogue."

On Tuesday, the American also condemned the attacks by Serbian demonstrators on KFOR as "completely unacceptable", but what was particularly striking was how clearly Washington, Kosovo's most important protecting power, had previously distanced itself from the Kurti government. Vučić, meanwhile, called on the Serb population in northern Kosovo not to be driven into a conflict with NATO – because this is exactly what Kurti wants.