After EU intervention, Serbia and Kosovo have reached an agreement to put an end to a dispute over license plates for the time being. The disagreement escalated last week. Kosovo stationed special police units along the border to monitor Serbian vehicles and Serbia flew fighter planes and helicopters close to the border.
Among other things, the agreement entails that the role of Kosovar police units will be taken over by NATO peacekeepers. In return, ethnic Serb Kosovars must remove their blockades at border crossings.
Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s independence, declared in 2008. Many ethnic Serbs live in the north of Kosovo, who often still drive around in cars with Serbian license plates. However, after independence, Kosovo got its own number plates.
Paste sticker
Tensions between the countries arose after Kosovo decided last week to ban Serbian number plates. That would cause problems for the Serb minority in Kosovo, but also for travelers from Serbia. They would have to replace their license plate with temporary Kosovar copies when entering Kosovo.
Kosovo said it is taking the measure because Serbia has been doing the same for ten years. The special police units at the border had to enforce the measure.
Instead of replacing the number plates, it has now been decided to stick stickers over certain parts. That measure will remain in force until a final solution is found that is acceptable to both parties.
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