Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister Ana Brnabic will meet with the ambassadors of Russia and China on Friday amid escalation of tensions between Belgrade and Pristina, the presidential press service said on Friday
BELGRADE (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd November, 2018) Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister Ana Brnabic will meet with the ambassadors of Russia and China on Friday amid escalation of tensions between Belgrade and Pristina, the presidential press service said on Friday.
Earlier in the day, police of the self-proclaimed Kosovo detained four Serbs in the town of Kosovska Mitrovica, saying that three of them were detained within investigation into the killing of Kosovo Serb leader Oliver Ivanovic in January of this year, and the fourth person "resisted the police." The authorities of the Serb-populated municipality of Zubin Potok in northern Kosovo decided to block the highway and checkpoints on the way to central Serbia in the afternoon in protest against Pristina's actions. Vucic also conducted a meeting of the National Security Council on the issue.
"The meeting of President Vucic and Prime Minister Brnabic with the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China Li Manchang will be held at 10:00 [09:00 GMT], with Russia's Ambassador Alexander Chepurin at 11:00 [10:00 GMT]", - the statement said.
Last week, Kosovo imposed a 10-percent tax on Serbian imports and raised it to 100 percent on Wednesday after accusing Belgrade of campaigning against its Interpol membership. Vucic called the move a "de facto trade ban" but vowed not to retaliate. He warned the unrecognized republic could face goods shortages and price hikes further down the road. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the tariffs were not in the spirit of the EU-Kosovo association agreement and demanded that Kosovo immediately revoke its decision.
In 2008, Kosovo unilaterally proclaimed independence from Serbia. Even though over 100 UN member states have officially recognized Kosovo, Serbia, alongside Russia, China, Israel and several other countries, have not recognized the move.
