Kosovo detains ethnic Serb carrying medicines for drugstore - reports
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The Kosovo police arrested the man, confiscated his car, and did not give any explanations regarding this move.
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A Serbian detained by Kosovo Police in 2018 (AFP)
The Kosovo police detained in north Kosovo an ethnic Serb, who was delivering medical supplies to a drugstore, according to local media reports on Tuesday.
Read: Kosovo police intended to use force against Serbs in Kosovo: Official
The Kosovo online news outlet said that officers from the regional operational support unit (ROSU) of the Kosovo police were carrying automatic weapons and arrested the individual near the village of Rudare by the town of Zvecan.
The man was reportedly carrying medicines and related supplies to a hospital drugstore; he was detained without any explanations provided to him. The media noted that his vehicle was unofficially confiscated by the police as well.
The latest flare-up between the two countries was triggered by Pristina declaring plans to introduce new border rules. Kosovo stated that starting August 1, Serbian-issued documents would be invalid and their owners would receive temporary certificates when entering Kosovo, including the obligatory re-registration of vehicles carrying Serbian license plates, which would affect Serbians in the northern part of Kosovo and other towns. This not only increased tensions after local Serbs blocked roads in northern Kosovo, but Pristina was compelled to postpone the entry restrictions until September 1.
Russia urges Kosovo to cease provocations
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday that Moscow has urged Pristina, as well as the United States and the European Union, which back the Kosovo authorities, to halt provocations and respect the rights of Kosovo's Serbs.
In a statement, Zakharova said, "We are calling on Pristina and the US and the EU, who are behind it, to cease provocations and respect the rights of Serbs in Kosovo."
She went on to say that recent events in Kosovo are proof of the EU mediation mission's failure, accusing Pristina of deliberately escalating the situation by instituting "discriminatory rules."
In a different context, the Serbian Defense Ministry denied, on Saturday, reports of its military deployment to Kosovo and Metohija, urging people not to spread misinformation.
The ministry claimed that Pristina allegedly spread false reports about alleged clashes between Serbian armed forces and Kosovo police.
"The defense ministry informs that the Serbian military has not crossed the administrative line and not entered the territory of Kosovo and Metohija in any way," the ministry added.
