Border clashes
January 14, 2012
Police in Kosovo fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse hundreds of Kosovo Albanian protesters on Saturday who were attempting to block traffic entering from neighboring Serbia.
Some 42 people were arrested and 13 policemen were injured after members of the Kosovo Albanian Self-Determination movement reportedly launched stones and metal objects at heavily armed riot police and ignored calls to disperse.
Protesters waving Albanian flags and shouting "Serbia is an enemy country for Kosovo, that is why our motto is 'Serbia will not pass through" were joined by the party's hard line opposition leader Albin Kurti.
After hours of confrontation, two trucks from Serbia were eventually able to pass through the border under police escort. Police had earlier prevented the movement from blocking two border posts by cordoning off the road outside the northern town of Podujevo, some six kilometers (four miles) from the border with Serbia.
The followers of the opposition political movement oppose contact with Serbia in protest against its supposed obstruction of Kosovo's independence. The Albanian Self-Determination movement is currently running a campaign to boycott Serbian products at two border posts with Serbia.
Boycott condemned
The government in Pristina condemned the blockade on Saturday, calling on the leaders of Self-Determination "to restrain from the use of violence and attempts to block the freedom of movement guaranteed by the constitution."
On Wednesday, Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci condemned the boycott of Serbian products, saying his government would do its best to prevent it.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. While Kosovo's independence was accepted by more than 80 countries including the United States and 22 of the EU's 27 members, neither Kosovo's minority Serbs nor Belgrade recognize the 2008 declaration.
Tensions resurfaced in mid 2011 over the status of a small region of northern Kosovo, bordering Serbia and populated mainly by Serbs who insist on remaining part of Serbia.
Author: Charlotte Chelsom-Pill (Reuters, AFP)
Editor: Martin Kuebler