Kosovo Serbs Yet to Approve Bilateral Border Deal

Kosovo Serbs wave flags while blockading the road in the village of Rudare near Zvecan, Serbia, on 29 July 2011. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Serbians living in Northern Kosovo have not yet approved the deal negotiated by Belgrade and Pristina and have not lifted the blockade on roads leading to the border.

Kosovo Serb leaders are expected to meet and discuss later Saturday on the agreement, which has it that KFOR will take over Brnjak and Jarinje checkpoints.

Tensions erupted some 11 days ago, when Kosovo Serbs were enraged when Kosovar authorities took over the checkpoints to enforce a trade embargo with Serbia.

The Friday deal respects the embargo, but has it enforced by KFOR. The agreement allows passenger traffic and humanitarian aid from Serbia to Kosovo Serbs.

The agreement was nevertheless negotiated by authorities in Belgrade and Pristina and not local Northern kosovo Serbs.

Saturday the so-called Parliament of Serb Communities in Kosovo - a parallel structure of authority which does not recognize Kosovo's independence from Serbia - is expected to decide whether to respect the deal.

Serbian negotiator Borislav Stefanovski urged them to do so, for if they did not, no further talks will be held.

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