BELGRADE, 23 November – RIA Novosti. Kosovo Serbs living in the central and southern parts of the province held mass protests Wednesday in the Gracanica and Strpce enclaves against Pristina’s controversial measures.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said earlier that talks by Kosovo Albanian authorities on the postponement of controversial measures in Brussels on Monday did not yield results and a “difficult period ahead” is expected. According to him, the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo authorities sent special forces subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the north of the region. On Tuesday night, political representatives of Kosovo Serbs arrived in Belgrade to meet with Vučić, who urged them to exercise restraint. Serbian List party leader Goran Rakic ​​later said Kosovo Serbs are planning to stage protests at schools, medical facilities and other structures over Pristina’s controversial measures.

Thousands of Serbs from the central parts of the region gathered in front of the house of culture in the village of Gracanica, near Pristina, on Wednesday afternoon. They carried Serbian flags and banners “Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija”.

“We Central Kosovo Serbs give strong support to our brothers in the north. We have never been so united in the face of all difficulties, if this violence continues, I, as Serbs in the south, want to warn all concerned forces. Gracanitsa mayor Lilyana Shubaric quotes a speech.

The event passed without incident. About a thousand Kosovo Serbs also gathered for peaceful action in the southernmost enclave of Strpce and Metohija in Kosovo to “support brothers in the north”.

From 1 November, car owners with license plates PR (Pristina), KM (Kosovska Mitrovica), PZ (Prizren), GL (Gnjilane), UR (Uroševac), PE (Pec), DA or ĐA (Gjakovica) issued by the Serbian authorities ), Kosovo police issued 1,740 warnings. They had to re-register them with the “Republic of Kosovo” plates with the RKS symbols.

Vučić said on Sunday that he expects Kosovo Albanian authorities not to reverse their decision on fines against Serb figures and that there will be an escalation in Kosovo after 21 November due to the controversial Pristina measures. Prime Minister of the self-proclaimed republic, Albin Kurti, has postponed the execution of the fines from 22 November to 48 hours at the request of the United States.

Kosovo Albanian authorities are asking local Serbs to re-register all cars with Kosovo symbols and license plates written “RKS” by the Serbian authorities with the letters “KM” and plan to impose fines from November 21. 150 Euros for violators. On September 20, 2021, self-proclaimed Kosovo authorities banned entry with Serb numbers and deployed a special unit of the Ministry of the Interior (ROSU) to the north of the area. In response, local Serbs blocked the road to the Yarine and Brnyak checkpoints with construction equipment and continued the blockade despite “police” attempts to disperse them using tear gas and special equipment. From the central Serbian side, military personnel in armored vehicles served on the highway, helicopters and warplanes flew around the area. Then, in negotiations with the mediation of Western countries, a temporary solution was reached by affixing symbols on license plates at the entrances and exits from Kosovo and Metohija to central Serbia.