Clashes between demonstrators and NATO forces in Kosovo: stability at risk

Since Friday, the tension in northern Kosovo between local Serbs and Kosovar authorities has ignited over the decision of the latter to allow ethnic Albanian mayors to take office in four municipalities in northern Kosovo: Zvecan, Leposavic, Zubin Potok, and Mitrovica. These mayors were elected following highly controversial elections held in April. Local Serbs boycotted these elections which resulted in a turnaround of 3.47%. Despite advice from the United States and the European Union not to validate the results of the elections, the authorities in Pristina allowed the ethnic Albanians who were elected as mayors to take up their posts.

On Monday, 29 May, dozens of Serbian protesters on one side, and members of the Kosovo police, as well as 30 members of NATO’s KFOR peacekeeping force on the other, were injured during demonstrations against the appointment of ethnic Albanian mayors in the cities with a Serbian majority. Kosovo Police reported that five protesters have been arrested in connection with the unrest.

These clashes are just the latest developments in a long history of violence in Kosovo. The conflict in this region goes back to 1998 when the government in Belgrade engaged in brutal repression against an uprising of the Albanian community in Kosovo, which was then a Serbian province. The subsequent intervention of NATO to stabilize the region ended the violent conduit of the government in Belgrade which had led to more than 10,000 deaths among the Albanian population. In 2008, Kosovo, guarded by NATO’s KFOR peacekeeping forces, declared its independence which has been recognized by 22 out of 27 EU member states and the United States.

International organizations with a presence in Kosovo are advised to monitor the conflict closely and prepare contingency plans in case traffic in Kosovo, as well as transit between Kosovo and neighboring countries, are affected. Separately, companies with a presence in the Western Balkans and Southeast Europe are advised to review their supply and value chains to be prepared in case a limited escalation of the conflict leads to blockades in the transit of people and goods.