Kosovo police secure the area near the town of Zubin Potok, Kosovo. Why Serbia is not letting go of Kosovo? Why does Serbia not want to let Kosovo be an independent country? The small population of ethnic Serbs. [33], On 19 April 2013, the two governments completed the Brussels Agreement[34] that was hailed as a major step towards normalising relations, and would allow both Serbia and Kosovo to advance in European integration. If someone wants to compete in arrests, we have the answer". Negotiations facilitated by the European Union resulted in the 2013 Brussels Agreement on the normalization of relations between the governments of Kosovo and Serbia. [22] Belgrade and Pristina are urged to continue talks in Brussels, but Serbia is not obliged to recognize Kosovo at any point in the process. Kosovo had celebrated the 14th anniversary of independence from Serbia just one week before Russian soldiers crossed into Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Wait a moment and try again. [49] However, the Serbian government still opposes any initiative by the government of Kosovo joining UN agencies, and Kosovo's initiative regarding UNESCO membership was met with protest by Belgrade. He has cited Kosovo and Serbia many times since the invasion. (though the. Miloevi and members of the Serbian minority of Kosovo had long objected to the fact that Muslim Albanians were in demographic control of an area held sacred to the Serbs. Kosovo is a poor country, with much of its prewar industry not running. Kosovo is a mainly ethnic Albanian territory that declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. [78], On 27 August, EU-facilitated dialogue between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Kosovo settled the dispute regarding identification documents. Russia, China and five European Union nations have sided with Serbia. Serbia cherishes the region as the heart of its statehood and religion. [15] Other ambassadors were returned following the positive outcome of the vote in the UN General Assembly. IS THERE A LINK TO RUSSIA AND THE WAR IN UKRAINE? Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared anew during the past week after Serbs erected barricades on the main roads in the north of Kosovo, a former Serbian province. The conflict between Serbia and Kosovo remained frozen for two decades; however, this time there is a risk of friction escalating into a dangerous conflict. [60], On 21 November 2018, Kosovo announced an increase in the tax rate to 100%. Mitrovica, the main town in the north, has been effectively divided into an ethnic Albanian part and a Serb-held part, and the two sides do not mix. [42] On 19 September, a EULEX officer was killed in the Serb area of Kosovo in a drive by shooting, this murder viewed as an act by opponents of reconciliation. [24] Abazi was charged with espionage and Urseli with drug smuggling. The official justification for the new tariff was unfair trade practices and destructive behaviour aimed at Kosovo. Vucic has acknowledged Serbia's loss of control over Kosovo and said he has come to terms with that, but also says the country wont settle unless it gains something. Western officials have vehemently rejected Putins argument, saying the NATO intervention in Kosovo was triggered by mass killings and other war crimes committed by Serbian troops against ethnic Albanians. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. In Brussels, Serbia and Kosovo agreed that implementation of the border agreement would start on 10 December 2012. The NATO bombing campaign lasted 11 weeks and eventually expanded to Belgrade, where significant damage to the Serbian infrastructure occurred. Government attempts to impose more control in the Serb-dominated north are usually met with resistance. Kosovo is a poor country, with much of its prewar industry not running. On 29 December 2016, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dai noted the significance of maintaining the dialogue and implementing all agreements, primarily those that apply to establishing the Community of Serb Municipalities. Tens of thousands of Kosovo Serbs live in central Serbia, where they fled together with the withdrawing Serb troops in 1999. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has called for deploying Serb troops to northern Kosovo, further fueling fears of a revival of the 1998-99 war in Kosovo that claimed more than 10,000 lives and left over 1 million homeless. . Talks began in 2006 to determine this status, as the UN hosted 17 rounds of negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia, but the plan for Kosovar independence negotiated by the former Finish President Martti Ahtisaari was rejected by Serbia. [65] The deal came after months of diplomatic talks by Richard Grenell, the United States ambassador to Germany, who was named special envoy for Serbia-Kosovo relations by President Donald Trump the year before. The government removed our autonomy, decided to close Albanian schools and put a quota on universities in order to prevent albanians from entering. Someone lobbed a stun grenade at a European Union peacekeeping patrol mission. On Facebook, Kurti noted, The following hours, days and weeks can be challenging and problematic. The alliance said that it would take whatever measures are necessary to keep a safe and secure environment in Kosovo at all times while also encouraging Pristina and Belgrade to continue talks. On June 10, 1999, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution which ended the war, established a NATO peacekeeping force in Kosovo, and provided for some autonomy which included a 120-member assembly. "We are not going to stand by and watch the Serbian authorities do in Kosovo what they can no longer get away with doing in Bosnia," US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright reportedly said. [79][80], On 3 October 2022, the far-right Serbian Party Oathkeepers together with the People's Party, New Democratic Party of Serbia, and Dveri, signed a joint declaration for the "reintegration of Kosovo into the constitutional and legal order of Serbia" in October 2022. [14], On 24 July 2008, the Government decided to return its ambassadors to EU countries. Serbia pulled out of the talks after Kosovo imposed a 100% import tax. However, the talks led to nowhere since Kosovo refused to levy the tariffs. [42] Two days later, the Serbian government announced the dissolution of the Serb minority assemblies it created in northern Kosovo in order to allow the integration of the Kosovo Serb minority into the general Kosovo population. There are constant tensions between the Kosovo government and the Serbs who live mainly in the north of the country and keep close ties with Belgrade. According to an RT report, the region was developed in conditions where the only future roadmap for several states was eventual membership of the EU. The Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) began armed conflict in a campaign against Miloevi. "We dont need a quick deal, we need the right deal and that needs both sides to come prepared and to talk to their people and get ready to sit down at the table seriously," he said. Tensions between Albanians and Serbs in Kosovo continued into the 21st century. Russia's invasion of Ukraine added a new dimension to the standoff. From unannounced raids to protests, the tensions between Belgrade and Pristina continue regularly, particularly because the Kosovo issue has been left unresolved since 1999. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state and continues to claim it as the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija. Serbia incensed", "Serbia, Kosovo normalize economic ties, gesture to Israel", "Documents signed at the White House cover wider scope than expected", "Serbia and Kosovo sign breakthrough economic accord that is short of normal relations", "Serbian, Kosovar Leaders Meet EU Officials in Brussels on Heels Of 'Historic' U.S.-Mediated Deal", "Kosovo, Serbia Make Progress in All Three Topics during Brussels Dialogue", "Lajcak hails progress in Kosovo Serbia-dialogue", "Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue: Remarks by the EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajk after the high-level meeting", "Meeting between Hoti and Vucic could be postponed", "Road blockades followed sirens in the north of Kosovo, Brnjak and Jarinje", "Sirens sound in northern Kosovo, background unclear report", "Serbia-Kosovo ID document row settled, says EU", "Serbia and Kosovo reach free movement agreement", "Pokret za odbranu KiM i pet partija usvojili Deklaraciju za reintegraciju KiM", "EU drafts new proposal for Kosovo-Serbia ties - senior EU diplomat", "Albanian post: The Franco-German proposal in nine points, the acceptance of Kosovo's independence and the formation of the CSM - Kosovo Online", "Wider Europe Briefing: Will Kosovo and Serbia Finally Make a Deal? They consider Kosovo as their own country while accusing Serbia of occupation and repression. A range of individuals has been detained including UN personnel, Russians and other people. RACAK, Serbia (Reuters) - The massacre of 44 Kosovo Albanians by Serb security forces in this village nine years ago is a reminder of why Kosovo deserves independence from Serbia, says . Years of engagement by both U.S. and European policymakers have been largely ineffectual in bringing Serbia and Kosovo closer to normalization. Kosovos leadership has called for justice for more than 1,600 people still missing from the 1998-1999 war with neighboring Serbia, Kosovos former president has pleaded not guilty to charges including murder, torture and persecution as he went on trial with three other former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army. This is because the context of the tensions has changed drasticallywith regard to the European Union (EU) taking responsibility for the complex political situation in Balkan states. Why don't Russia, China, and some other countries recognize Kosovo independence? This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/event/Kosovo-conflict, Federation of American Scientists - Kosovo: Historical Background to the Current Conflict, The Brookings Institution - The Consequences of Kosovo, North Atlantic Treaty Organization - NATO's Role in Relation to the Conflict in Kosovo, Kosovo calls for justice for 1,621 missing persons from war, 'Nobody is above the law:' Kosovo ex-president's trial opens. [citation needed] Serbia has expelled diplomatic representations of all neighboring countries that subsequently recognised Kosovo's independence: Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. [4][5] Activities of ambassadors from countries that have recognised independence are limited to meetings with Foreign Ministry lower officials. But why are the relations so tumultuous? In Serbia, powerful populist President Aleksandar Vucic, a former ultranationalist, insists that any solution must be a compromise in order to last. The United Nations (UN) Security Council condemned this excessive use of force and imposed an arms embargo, but the violence continued. Kosovo was based on administrative lines drawn during the Yugoslav era and is majority ethnic Albanian, Beesley said. Having unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008, Kosovo is formally recognised as an independent state by at least 101 out of 193 (52.3%) UN member states, while Serbia continues to claim it as part of its own territory. Kosovo has announced that it will soon apply to become a candidate for EU membership, something Serbia vehemently opposes. [50][51], On 13 December 2016, at the 3511th Council of the European Union meeting, the delegates urged Kosovo to swiftly implement in good faith its part of all past agreements, in particular the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities and to engage constructively with Serbia in formulating and implementing future agreements. Kosovos independence has been recognized by about 100 countries, including the United States. [49] As a result of the agreements, Serbia can now move forward with its negotiations to join the EU. In June NATO and Yugoslavia signed a peace accord outlining troop withdrawal and the return of nearly one million ethnic Albanians as well as another 500,000 displaced within the province. Miloevi, who had become president of Yugoslavia in 1997, agreed to meet most of the demands but failed to implement them. In fact, according to the Serbian scholar Vaso ubrilovi, it just makes sense to drive all Albanians out solely based on this claim, that Kosovo was Serbian in the 1300s. The Serbian Government promised suspended Serb prison workers from Lipljan money if they were to leave the Kosovo institutions, which they were working in, so they did. Most Serbs left the region, and there were occasional reprisals against those who remained. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. That changed drastically in 1989 when Serbian leader Slobodan Miloevi brought Kosovo directly under the Serbian government in Belgrade and the dissolution of Yugoslavia brought war to the area. [55] Serbian President Tomislav Nikoli stated that Serbia would send its army to Kosovo if Kosovo Serbs are attacked. Belgrades brutal response prompted a NATO intervention in 1999, which forced Serbia to pull out and cede control to international peacekeepers. Early Monday, after delaying the implementation of new border rules, the Kosovo government also accused Serbia of trying to destabilise the country as ethnic Serbian in a dispute over vehicle license plates and identity cards. Kurti, Kosovos prime minister, is often accused by international mediators of making moves that trigger unnecessary tensions. Kosovo conflict, (199899) conflict in which ethnic Albanians opposed ethnic Serbs and the government of Yugoslavia (the rump of the former federal state, comprising the republics of Serbia and Montenegro) in Kosovo. WHY ARE SERBIA AND KOSOVO AT ODDS? Russia and Serbia have blamed NATO and the West for an armed raid by Kosovo police in the Serb dominated north of Kosovo when a Russian U.N. employee was among more than two dozen people arrested in what Kosovo says was an anti-organized crime operation. Kosovo viewed the train as a provocation. [11], On 24 March 2008, Slobodan Samardi, Minister for Kosovo and Metohija, proposed partitioning Kosovo along ethnic lines, asking the United Nations to ensure that Belgrade can control key institutions and functions in areas where Serbs form a majority[12] but other members of the Government and the President denied these claims. Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in February 2008, after years of strained relations between its Serb and mainly Albanian inhabitants. International officials still hope Kosovo and Serbia can reach a deal that would allow Kosovo to get a seat in the United Nations without Serbia having to explicitly recognize its statehood. In recent weeks, minority Serbs in northern Kosovo have responded with violent resistance to moves by Pristina that they see as anti-Serb. NATO occupied Kosovo in 1999 following a 78-day war with then Yugoslavia. After he was gunned down, talks on normalising relations were further postponed. They claim that Belgrade, the Kosovo Ministry specifically, has not paid them money promised for leaving the Kosovo institutions.[107]. Despite being banned from entering Kosovo and warnings by the Kosovo police, uri decided to visit the northern part of Mitrovica. Serbia, however, still considers Kosovo to be an integral part of. Although the roots of the Kosovo conflict can be traced back many years, substantial fighting began in 1998. You know, Kosovo is Serbia, Kosovo is Serbia, Kosovo is Serbia, few times a day, every day, on every television, radio and newspaper, ever since war criminal Slobodan Miloevi rose to power in 1987. Kosovo is a small, landlocked country in the Balkans, bordering Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. Serbian President Aleksander Vui stated that the ID card issue was a tiny problem, but the licence plate one was much more complicated. Sporadic violence occurred, as when anti-Serb riots broke out in March 2004 in numerous cities and towns in the Kosovo region. Tens of thousands of Kosovo Serbs live in central Serbia, where they fled together with the withdrawing Serb troops in 1999. [88][89][90][91][92] Kurti and Vui met again on 18 March at Ohrid, North Macedonia and verbally accepted a roadmap for implementation of the agreement. Serbia upholds Kosovoas its own territory and the heart of its statehood and religion. The majority of Kosovo's population is ethnically Albanian and Muslim. European Union officials have mediated negotiations designed to normalize relations between Serbia and Kosovo, and some areas have seen results, like introducing freedom of movement and multiethnic police. [30] A historic meeting took place on 6 February 2013, when Serbian president Tomislav Nikoli and Kosovar President Atifete Jahjaga sat at the same table for the first time since Kosovo declared independence. The Serbian government has refused to recognize Kosovos statehood and still considers it part of Serbia, even though it has no formal control there. Kosovo is a small, landlocked nation slightly larger than Cyprus that has a population of about two million people. The conflict gained widespread international attention and was resolved with the intervention of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Vucic said, The atmosphere has been brought to a boil. But on April 29th, Kosovar and Serbian presidents, Hashim Thai and Aleksandar Vui, will sit at the negotiating table in a meeting organised by France and Germany since talks were suspended in 2015 to try and find concrete solutions to their impasse. The governments slowly reached agreements and deals on various areas, such as freedom of movement, university diplomas, regional representation and on trade and international customs. BELGRADE, Serbia -- Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared anew during the past week after Serbs erected barricades on the main roads in the north of Kosovo, a former Serbian province. On 30 March, the Serbian High Court in Vranje ordered Abazi to be detained for thirty days on espionage charges dating to an incident in 1999 in which Abazi allegedly gave information to NATO. He has openly acknowledged that Serbia has lost control over Kosovo and has to come to terms with that, but says the country wont settle unless it gains something. [53] On 30 December 2016, Kosovo President Hashim Thai had stated that he hopes the questions of the Community would be resolved at the beginning of 2017. The decades-old Serbia-Kosovo border tensions are on the verge of erupting again as fresh clashes took place in Kosovos north between Pristina and Belgrade. Kosovo is a full member of several international sporting organizations; this has caused conflict and tension when events are hosted in Serbia when Kosovo is to officially compete as its own country. Diplomatic negotiations began in Rambouillet, France, in February 1999 but broke down the following month. "[34] Serbia can block Kosovo in international organizations, but it cannot stand in the way of Kosovo's European integration process. Pristina referred to these officers as "ambassadors", but Belgrade rejected such a designation. Without any formal authority over Kosovo, Serbia has not recognised Pristinas sovereignty. Putins argument, repeated several times since Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, followed this reasoning: If ex-Yugoslav republics and a Serbian province could become independent with Western backing and wars, why shouldn't Ukraines strategic Black Sea peninsula and the rebel-controlled, majority Russian areas in the country's east split off with Russian help? BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared this week after Kosovos police raided Serb-dominated areas in the regions north and arrested scores of people. Moreover, Kosovo can not become a United Nations (UN) member or a functional state without resolving the dispute with Serbia. It is to note that any intervention by the Serbian military would mean a confrontation with NATO Peacekeepers. When the Ottomans came to power, they brought the beginning of Islamization of Kosovo. Following the peace accord that ended the Kosovo conflict in 1999, Kosovo came under UN administration, and UN peacekeeping forces were deployed there. Kosovo declared its independence from former Yugoslav republic Serbia in 2008, but Serbia refuses to let it go. For example, he has rejected the idea of a territory swap between Serbia and Kosovo, an idea his political predecessors were willing to consider to reach a negotiated settlement with Serbia. Belgrade accuses Kosovo of plotting "terrorism against Serbs" in areas where some 50,000 ethnic . The ethnic Serbs living in Kosovos north do not recognise Pristinas authority to impose rules and regulations. Kosovo Serbs and Serbs in Serbia want the entity to revert to Belgrade's control. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Few countries recognised the state and, meanwhile, violence had broken out in Bosnia where Muslims were driven out of their homes in what became known as "ethnic cleansing". These new rules, which were set to take effect on Monday before the unrest along the border, would have forced the people entering Kosovo with Serbian IDs instead to have a temporary document during their stay in Pristina. We didn't fly to Kosovo, but we overlanded from Albania, and no proof of anything was asked. Although that wasnt the situation in Ukraine before Russias full-scale invasion this year, Putin still relies on what happened in Kosovo as a precedent for sending troops in. [1][2][3], Serbia strongly opposed Kosovo's declaration of independence, which was declared on 17 February 2008. Clashes between Serbs, Kosovar Albanians, and NATO peacekeepers in Serb-dominated northern Kosovo injured dozens, and violence threatened to spiral out of control as Serbs in Kosovo rejected Pristina's attempts to impose customs controls at the border. Serbia, however, still considers Kosovo to be an integral part of its territory and rejects suggestions it is whipping up tensions and conflict within its neighbour's borders. A significant portion of Serbian Orthodox churches, as well as Serbian cemeteries and homes, have been demolished or vandalised. [75] The second meeting was later postponed, in part due to Kosovo's refusal to discuss the formation of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. [40] For five member states, the question of Kosovo's independence is not about Kosovo per se: it is a question of local politics. Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and President Hashim Thaci are political opponents: Thaci initially supported an idea to change borders for peace, while Haradinaj strongly opposes it. Mitrovica, the main city in northern Kosovo, is effectively divided into an ethnic Albanian part and a Serb-held part, and the two sides rarely mix. ", "Belgrade, Pristina Strike Telecoms and Energy Deals:: Balkan Insight", "Serbia Pulls Plug on North Kosovo Assemblies:: Balkan Insight", "Kosovo President Approves Controversial Amnesty Law:: Balkan Insight", "Serb to Run Police in North Kosovo:: Balkan Insight", "EULEX Policeman Shot Dead in North Kosovo:: Balkan Insight", "Kosovo Opposition Hand Serbia Talks to Nationalists:: Balkan Insight", "Serbian President Demands Kosovo Referendum:: Balkan Insight", "Kosovo and Serbia sign 'landmark' agreements", "Kosovo Plans to Join UNESCO by November:: Balkan Insight", "Serbia Vows to Stop Kosovo Joining UNESCO:: Balkan Insight", "Thai: I hope that the issue of CSM will be resolved early in 2017", "Serbia-Kosovo train row escalates to military threat", "How a train nearly brought Kosovo and Serbia to the brink of war", "Serbian Nationalist Train Halts at Border With Kosovo", "Kosovo Arrests Serbian Official for Illegal Entry", "Vui: Teroristi hteli da pokau mo i podrku Zapada", "Kosovo Imposes Customs Tariffs on Serbia, Bosnia", "Kosovo Slaps 100 Percent Tariffs on Serbia, Bosnia To 'Defend Vital Interest', "Kosovo Lifts 100 Percent Tariff on Serbia; Belgrade Calls It 'Fake News', "Kosovo announces removal of tariffs on Serbian and Bosnian goods", "Serbia-Kosovo Flights to Resume Under U.S.-Brokered Deal", "Kosovo-Serbia flights to restart after two decades", "Kosovo moves to join Albanian grid. [56][57], Kosovar special police arrested Serbian politician Marko uri visiting Northern Mitrovica in March 2018. Fourteen years after Kosovo declared independence from Serbia, around 50,000 Serbs living in the north, close to the Kosovo border, still use license plates and papers issued by the Serbian government. WHY ARE SERBIA AND KOSOVO AT ODDS? Russia, China and five European Union nations have sided with Serbia. Throughout years of negotiations, Serbs, and Kosovo Albanians have stuck to diametrically opposed and irreconcilable positions. Many Serbs consider it the birthplace of their nation. Kosovos majority ethnic Albanians, most of whom are Muslim, view Kosovo as their country and accuse Serbia of occupation and repression. The Serbian government has refused to recognize Kosovo's statehood and still considers it part of Serbia, even though it has no formal control there. However, the latter broke down when Serbs pulled out of the force a few months ago to protest Pristinas decision to ban Serbian-issued vehicle license plates and demand their replacement with Kosovo-issued ones. Serb nationalists view a 1389 battle against Ottoman Turks there as a symbol of its national struggle. [64], In April 2020 Kosovo's Transmission System Operator, KOSTT, was formally separated from Elektromrea Srbije through a vote by the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, ENTSO-E, which paved the way for Kosovo to become an independent regulatory zone for electricity. [54], In January 2017, a train painted in Serbian flag colors and with the words "Kosovo is Serbia" was prevented from crossing into Kosovo. [32], Serbia's top officials met with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton in Brussels, on 11 March 2013, Serbian president Nikoli said that Serbia and Kosovo were very close to signing an agreement which would improve their relations. For example, he has rejected the idea of a territory swap between Serbia and Kosovo, an idea his political predecessors were willing to consider to reach a negotiated settlement with Serbia. 4 Min Read. [48], On 26 August 2015, Kosovo and Serbia signed a series of agreements in key areas, in a major step towards normalizing ties. [70], On 7 September, Serbian President Aleksandar Vui and Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti met for talks in Brussels hosted by Josep Borrell under the auspices of the European Union. Both Kosovo and Serbia are led by nationalist leaders who were active during the era of the 1998-99 war. Serbia agreed to abolish entry and exit documents for Kosovo ID holders whilst Kosovo committed to refrain from implementing such measures for Serbian ID holders. Kosovo has announced that it will soon apply to become a candidate for EU membership, something Serbia vehemently opposes. [16], On 15 August 2008, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremi filed a request at the United Nations seeking a non-legally binding advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of whether the declaration of independence was in breach of international law. And continued through the Byzantine Empire, all the way until the Fall of Byzantine Empire. There are constant tensions between Kosovos government and ethnic Serb residents who keep close ties with Belgrade. Kosovo profile. Following in the footsteps of Slovenia and Croatia, Kosovo declared independence from the Socialist Yugoslav Federation but did not get very far. The Contact Groupan informal coalition of the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and Russiademanded a cease-fire, the withdrawal of Yugoslav and Serbian forces from Kosovo, the return of refugees, and unlimited access for international monitors. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. In 1989 Ibrahim Rugova, leader of the ethnic Albanians in the Serbian province of Kosovo, initiated a policy of nonviolent protest against the abrogation of the province's constitutional autonomy by Slobodan Miloevi, then president of the Serbian republic. Serbian special police killed over 50 members of a KLA leader's family in early 1998 and violence only escalated as Serbian police executed ethnic Albanians in a supposed war on terrorism. [93], Under the terms of the Brussels Agreement signed in 2013, the governments of Serbia and Kosovo agreed to post liaison officers in each others capitals. The proposal also allows for the formation of a joint commission, chaired by the EU, for monitoring its implementation. Putin claimed NATOs bombardment of Serbia in 1999 and the Wests acceptance of Kosovo as a country created an illegal precedent that shattered international law and order. Further on this, Serbian nationalists who mostly claim KiM is an autonomous province of Serbia (not saying it's you, nor assume), are the same people who also call for Vojvodina to lose it's autonomous province status. A Kosovo Serb woman is framed by Serbian flags as she attends a protest against Kosovo police action in the northern Serb-dominated part of ethnically divided town of Mitrovica, Kosovo, Wednesday, May 29, 2019. Well before Russian tanks and troops rolled into Ukraine in February, Russian President Vladimir Putin cited the breakup of Yugoslavia to justify a possible invasion of a sovereign European country. Initially there were no relations between the two; however, in the following years there has been increased dialogue and cooperation between the two sides.
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