New Barricades in North Kosovo

Barricade Kosovo (BETAPHOTO/SASA DJORDJEVIC/EV)

Kosovo Police announced on Dec. 27 that two new roadblocks were erected in North Kosovska Mitrovica during the previous night – one in Bosnjacka Mahala, a multiethnic neighborhood in the north of the city, and the other at Dudin Krs, a natural landmark located on the highway connecting Mitrovica with Zvecan.

The barricade in Bosnjacka Mahala is the first erected in North Mitrovica itself. So far all had been set up in the three other municipalities with a Serb majority: Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok.

Kosovo Serbs have been blocking the main thoroughfares in the territory’s north since Dec. 10, in reaction to the arrest of former Kosovo Police officer Dejan Pantic. Pantic is suspected of participating in an attack on Kosovo Central Electoral Commission officials.

Kosovo authorities have said that they are fully capable of clearing the barricades but that it was decided to allow KFOR the chance to convince the local Serbs to themselves remove the heavy machinery used in the blockades.