Serbia And Kosovo Heat Up, Leaders Of Both Countries Ask For European Support

The Kosovo Troops (KFOR) personnel from the United States, under the coordination of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (ANTARA)

BEOGRAD - Serbian President and Kosovo met with several European leaders to discuss the latest tensions between the two countries on the sidelines of the European Political Community held in Moldova.

Serbian President Aleksander Vucic met with French President Emmanuel Macron, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

"I thank President Macron for his firm stance and support for Serbia regarding the latest events. I express my concern about the recent increase in violence in northern Kosovo," Vucic was quoted as saying by ANTARA, Friday, June 2.

In addition, Vucic also called Sanchez a "sincere friend" of Serbia.

Meanwhile, President Kosovo Vjosa Osmani met with German Chief of Staff Olaf Scholz and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrel.

"The president stressed that Kosovo's efforts to restore order in the northern region of the country were blocked by the Serbian illegal building, which turned into a criminal gang backed by (Serban President Aleksander) Vucic, who attacked the Kosovo police and NATO Kosovo peacekeepers," the Osmani office said in a statement.

Osmani added that European countries must determine their stance on trends that endanger peace and stability in the region.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrel after a meeting called for a new local election north of Kosovo by including Serbians.

"We have three clear conditions, the new local elections now, ensuring Serbia Kosovo's participation and starting to form the Serbian Majority City Association with EU-facilited Dialogues," Borrel said.

"If we fail to carry out the above conditions, there will be serious consequences for our relationship," Borrel warned.

Tensions hit Kosovo when Serbia protested the election of the ethnic Albania mayor in four municipalities last month in the country's northern municipality.

Serbian ethnicity in the northern city of the country has protested the election of the ethnic mayor of Albania since the end of May.

On Monday, at least 30 soldiers of the mission to maintain international peace led by NATO in Kosovo (KFOR) were injured in clashes with Serbians protesting and trying to prevent the newly elected mayor of Kosovo City Zvecan from entering the city hall and taking an oath and starting his duties.