Serbs in north Kosovo warn to block border crossings if Kosovo takes control

As three-way negotiations continue on control of nothern checkpoints, local Serbs threaten to block roads if Kosovo’s government obtains control of two border crossings.

Leaders of the Serb National Council said international criticism would not dissuade them from taking direct action if the Albanian-led Kosovo government tried to take control of border crossings between north Kosovo and Serbia.

Serbs in north Kosovo would “defend their lives and state with democratic and peaceful methods, by gatherings and roadblocks, even if we’re be presented as the devil himself,” Milan Ivanovic, from the Serb National Council, said.

Milanovic said Serbs from north Kosovo would not accept government officials taking control over the two checkpoints in the area.

Kosovo police attempted to seize contriol of two northern border crossings late in July, prompting local Serb protests and intervention by NATO’s KFOR force.