Kosovo&Serbia

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Kosovo to partially withdraw special police officers from northern Serb-majority municipalities

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo’s government on Wednesday will reduce the number of special police officers stationed outside four municipal buildings in ethnic Serb-majority areas and hold new mayoral elections in each of the towns, in a bid to defuse tensions with neighboring Serbia that flared anew in May.

https://apnews.com/article/kosovo-serbia-municipalities-special-police-officers-elections-2b0b6c053a34a2b5ff60369f2cca701c?

The leaders of the Netherlands and Luxembourg tell Kosovo and Serbia to normalize ties for EU hopes

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — The leaders of the Netherlands and Luxembourg on Tuesday said that normalizing ties between Kosovo and Serbia would serve not only regional peace and stability but also their prospects of future integration into the European Union.

https://apnews.com/article/serbia-netherlands-luxembourg-kosovo-tensions-rutte-bettel-8eefcf41def167b9bcc3f114adaaa0ea?

Former allies Serbia and Montenegro agree to patch up strained relations

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — The presidents of Serbia and Montenegro agreed Monday to try to patch up strained relations between the historic Balkan allies.

https://apnews.com/article/serbia-montenegro-relations-allies-milatovic-vucic-61ad8d83eb974367586a379f099c211f?

Why do Kosovo-Serbia tensions persist?

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared anew this week after Kosovo’s police raided Serb-dominated areas in the region’s north and seized local municipality buildings.

https://apnews.com/article/kosovo-serbia-tensions-explained-ba6dd56730dc43e6637644afb5455fb8?

Serbia to seek meeting with NATO chief, UN Security Council session on Kosovo tensions

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia’s president on Thursday accused Kosovo of carrying out “silent ethnic cleansing” of Serbs and said his country will seek a meeting with NATO’s chief and an urgent session of United Nations Security Council to demand their protection.

https://apnews.com/article/serbia-kosovo-tensions-un-vucic-nato-542321f116c5cd368b0a98f53c9fc904?

For Cuban asylum seekers, options dwindle after Serbia slaps restrictions on visas to curb migration

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Fernando Almeyda Rodriguez and Remy Hernandez are two friends from Cuba, bound by a joint struggle for democracy in their country. But that comes at a price.

https://apnews.com/article/serbia-cuba-migration-visas-eu-asylum-92e12f6d5bc0970edee2aa356c9daf32?

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Feuding Serbia and Kosovo leaders set for talks Thursday on the sidelines of an EU summit

BRUSSELS (AP) — The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo have been invited to meet with top European Union officials on Thursday to try to breathe life into talks aimed at normalizing their relations, just as the 27-nation bloc’s leaders gather in Brussels for a two-day summit.

https://apnews.com/article/kosovo-serbia-dialogue-eu-us-tensions-conflict-c91d0339a957d5921c9bc6b5e62f9745?

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Why people are protesting over a deadly roof collapse in Serbia The deadly collapse of a concrete roof at a rail station in Serbia has raised tensions across the Balkan county, fueling widespread anger toward the government and protests after the failure claimed 15 lives in the northern city of Novi Sad. Read more.

Why this matters: The station, a major hub, was recently renovated as part of a Serbian-Chinese partnership. Critics allege that corruption, poor oversight and inadequate construction work contributed to the Nov. 1 tragedy. The collapse became a flashpoint for broader dissatisfaction with Serbia’s authoritarian rule, reflecting growing public demands for transparency while the country undertakes large infrastructure projects, mostly with Chinese state companies.   By building roads, railways and other infrastructure, Serbia seeks to enhance its transportation links with neighboring states, while China seeks to strengthen its economic footprint in Europe. Chinese state banks frequently provide loans to fund those projects. The loans may come with strings attached, such as the mandatory involvement of Chinese companies and their workers.   In the first days after the tragedy, Serbians protested mostly in silence, holding vigils for the victims. But as time passed, grief gave way to anger. Most recently, protesters blocked a courthouse in Novi Sad, demanding that judicial authorities “do their jobs.” Riot police pushed them away, which led to scuffles and a two-day standoff this week. Chants such as “corruption kills” also marked the protests that demanded the dissolution of the entire government over the tragedy.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: Thousands of Serbs demand prime minister’s resignation following deadly roof collapse   Serbian leader speaks to Trump, pointing out Serb support during US election   Serbia’s president thanks Putin for gas supplies and vows he’ll never impose sanctions on Russia

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Serbia’s president says he won’t flee his country like Syria’s Assad did despite growing protests

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia’s president accused Tuesday foreign intelligence services of trying to unseat him in the wake of spreading protests in the Balkan state and that he wouldn’t flee the country like the ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad.

https://apnews.com/article/serbia-vucic-assad-syria-protests-46961d86cc2dfb8b47a20faeae96c90d?

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Kosovo election authority bans main ethnic Serb party from parliamentary vote

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo’s election authority on Monday barred the main ethnic Serb party from competing in the upcoming parliamentary election, justifying the move by pointing to its nationalist stance and close ties to Serbia.

https://apnews.com/article/kosovo-serbs-election-srpska-lista-party-banned-e6528d0f7ee22b27513f9930ab18bc99?