http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64T0Z020100530
Reuters May 30, 2010 NATO, police fire teargas at protesters in Kosovo -Ethnic Albanians, led by veterans of the 1998-99 war against Serbian forces [the "Kosovo Liberation Army"], rallied to protest against the local election in the three Serb-dominated municipalities in northern Kosovo where Pristina has no control. Kosovo: NATO peacekeeping troops and police fired teargas on Sunday to separate thousands of ethnic Albanians and local Serbs in the divided Kosovo town of Mitrovica during protests against Serb local elections. The elections are being held with the backing of the Serbian government in Belgrade. Kosovo, a former province of Serbia with a mainly ethnic Albanian population of two million, declared independence in 2008 but this has not been recognized by Belgrade. A Reuters eyewitness said shots were fired near the bridge on the Ibar River that separates the southern, ethnic Albanian part of the town from the Serb-dominated northern district. "We have used a small amount of teargas and intervened to stop groups of Serbs and Albanians and prevent a further escalation of violence," said Kosovo police spokesman Besim Hoti. Two people on the Serb side were slightly injured by rocks the two groups of protesters were hurling at each other, health authorities in the Serb part of Mitrovica said. NATO troops, European Union police and Kosovo law enforcement officers in full riot gear were deployed at the bridge, facing both sides. NATO helicopters and unmanned reconnaissance drones were seen flying over the area. "Together with NATO troops and EU police we are trying the prevent more incidents," Hoti said. Ethnic Albanians, led by veterans of the 1998-99 war against Serbian forces, rallied to protest against the local election in the three Serb-dominated municipalities in northern Kosovo where Pristina has no control. The government in Belgrade, which remains staunchly opposed to Kosovo's independence, is backing the election. Tension has remained high in north Kosovo since the Albanian majority proclaimed independence from Serbia in February 2008, nine years after NATO bombed Serb forces.... The 120,000 Serbs in Kosovo refuse to cooperate with Albanian-run institutions and the EULEX force. (Reporting by Fatos Bytyci and Branislav Krstic; Writing by Aleksandar Vasovic; editing by Tim Pearce) ---------------------------------------------------------- http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2010 <http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=05&dd=30&nav_id=67465> &mm=05&dd=30&nav_id=67465 Beta News Agency/Tanjug News Agency May 30, 2010 KFOR stops clashes in northern Kosovo KOSOVSKA MITROVICA: Stones were being thrown between Serbs and Albanians across the bridge that separates northern and southern Kosovska Mitrovica. KPS, KFOR and EULEX forces in the region stopped the conflicts from escalating. There are no reports of injuries yet. The conflicts began at about 12:30 CET on the main bridge, where EULEX police are stationed. Before the incidents occurred, there were some 2,000 Albanians protesting the Serb elections in the north on the southern side of the bridge, calling for a “defense of Kosovo’s sovereignty.” The Albanians moved towards the bridge later, where local Serbs were gathering. Stones and rocks started flying from each side shortly after. There are still several thousand Serbs and Albanians on each side of the bridge. Serbs are voting in local election in Kosovska Mitrovica and Novo Brdo on Sunday. Protests by former KLA members and the Movement for Unity are being held in the southern part of Mitrovica against the elections, which were organized by Serbian officials. There are 13 lists participating in Mitrovica and four in Novo Brdo. In central Serbia, displaced persons in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Kraljevo, Kragujevac and Niš would be able to vote as well. The Serbian government dissolved the local governments in Kosovska Mitrovica and Novo Brdo on December 24, 2009, and established a temporary administration in the municipalities. .... [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
