Tensions on Kosovo and Metohija: New barricades installed; BBC: Loud weapons rattling

Tensions on Kosovo and Metohija: New barricades installed; BBC: Loud weapons rattling

They demand the release of their illegally arrested compatriots, the withdrawal of special units of the Kosovo Police from the north of the province and the withdrawal of secret lists for the arrest of Serbs.

Yesterday, Pristina did not allow the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije to enter the Republic of Kosovo at the Merdare administrative crossing and go to the Patriarchate of Peć. The President of Serbia and Commander-in-Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces, Aleksandar Vučić, ordered that the Army and all units of the MUP be at the highest level of combat readiness, i.e. preparedness to the level of the use of armed force.

BBC: Loudest rattling of weapons

World media reports on Belgrade's decision to increase combat readiness after several weeks of tensions in the north of Kosovo. On the occasion of Belgrade's decision to raise all units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Serbian Army to full combat readiness, the BBC writes that "the rattling of weapons is the loudest to date" after the allegations of certain media that Pristina is preparing an 'attack' on ethnic Serb areas in the north of Kosovo".

The British public service states that there was no comment from Pristina on the claims that it is preparing an attack in the north of Kosovo. The AP agency states that "Serbia, which is armed with Russian donations and military supplies, has been rattling its weapons and threatening its former province with force for a long time." Serbia has placed its security troops on the border with Kosovo in "full combat readiness", ignoring NATO's calls to reduce tensions between the two enemies from the time of the Balkan wars, the agency adds.

"It was not immediately clear what this order means on the ground, since Serbian troops have been on standby at the border with Kosovo for some time," AP said.

New barricades

A barricade made of several trucks loaded with stones and sand was erected during the night in the northern part of Mitrovica in Knjaza Miloša street, which leads from the eastern bridge from the southern part of the city, from the direction of Bošnjačka Mahala, to the center of the city, reports RTS.

A barricade was erected on the new bridge that leads from the northern part of Mitrovica to the main road Mitrovica - Raška.

The barricade in Knjaza Miloša Street was the first to be installed in the city center. You can walk past that barricade, but other side roads are used for cars.