The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has encouraged ethnic Serbs in Kosovo to abide by the law to have Pristina-issued plates on their vehicles, offering them zero tax or registration fees if done before 31 October, a day before the new rule comes into force.
Earlier this year, the government announced that all of those living in Kosovo must use license plates issued by Prishtina, a decision also impacting ethnic Serbs in the north who refuse to recognise Kosovo’s institutions. After being postponed by two months, the decision enters into force at the end of October.
Kurti said that any plates that are not RKS would be illegal by this time.
“We are working hard for the Serbs in Kosovo to switch to Kosovo license plates. Because only they are legal in this country. Now I have extended my hand to the people. Anyone who registers their table by October 31 pays neither tax nor registration fee for the vehicle. This is very attractive for Serbs in Kosovo. This is exactly what the illegal structures are putting pressure on. But there is still enough time to re-register your plates”, said Kurti.
Regarding ongoing tensions in the north, Kurti said that the Kosovo Police had been attacked at least 40 times in the last year but highlighted his relief that despite the tensions, there were no victims.
Kurti also referred to several police operations that targeted organised crime groups in the country, seeing both ethnic Albanians and Serbs arrested.
“Organized crime is multi-ethnic and cross-border. Serbia’s illegal structures in the north of Kosovo have a problem with our police cracking down on them. In the fight against smuggling routes, drug labs and illegal Bitcoin mining, our police have been attacked this year and last year alone over 40 times. It is precisely these criminals who erected the barricades in July. Some are on the US sanctions lists”, said Kurti.
KFOR, NATO’s presence in Kosovo recently confirmed they are ready to respond to any increase in tensions, ending it easily.
“We are alert and ready to act… if we have an increase in tensions, we can also increase the number of reserve forces… we can make this decision in a short time”, said the Deputy Commander of the NATO mission in Kosovo (KFOR), Luca Piperni to journalists on Tuesday.
“We have enough forces to face the situation. With many such troops, we can put an end to any type of tension”, said Piperni, referring to the troops outside Kosovo, which NATO can engage as reinforcements.
Piperni said that the is fragile but calm at the moment, however, NATO cannot rule out the possibility of new violence when the car registration deadline expires.
“If the situation worsens, we are ready to intervene; we are ready to be between the protesters and the security organisations,” he said.
The Serbian government claims the decision by Kosovo is an attempt to expel ethnic Serbs from the country but has not provided further information on how they think this will occur.
Vucic sad in August that the license plate issue is complicated and accused Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti of threatening Serbia.
“This means that he wants conflicts and continued problems…But it is different here and a more complicated situation with KS plates,” he said, adding that he and Serbia will fight and protect their people, hoping that “I hope no other issues appear.”
“I’m afraid that other things are coming and that someone wants to lead us into conflicts, and ours is to protect our position as long as we can and avoid it, but when we can’t anymore, you’re pushed against the wall, and you have nowhere to go,” said Vucic.
Kurti remains adamant that in the absence of full recognition of independence by Serbia, Kosovo will continue to implement reciprocity on all matters.
