The identity card issue between Serbia and Kosovo resolved

The European Union announced that the dispute regarding the mutual border crossing of the citizens of Serbia and Kosovo has been resolved. 

"We have reached an agreement," said Josep Borrell, EU Foreign Relations Representative, on his Twitter account.

Borrell said that within the scope of EU negotiations, Serbia has agreed to remove the entry/exit documents for those who have a Kosovo ID and that Kosovo will not make Serbian ID holders in the country obligated to obtain these documents.

However, the two countries have yet to reach an agreement on the use of Serbian license plates in northern Kosovo.

In 2008, Kosovo, the majority ethnic Albanian, declared its independence from Serbia.

Serbia, which continues to see Kosovo as a part of its territory, did not recognize Kosovo.

Relations between the Albanian-dominated government and the Serbian minority in Kosovo have been strained for years. Late last month, tensions escalated into civil disobedience.

The Kosovo government wanted to launch a new practice that would require ethnic Serbs to use Kosovo-issued license plates, and people entering the country via Serbia to obtain special entry documents.

About 50,000 people living in these areas reject vehicles with Kosovo license plates because they refuse to recognize Kosovo's independence.

It was reported that ethnic Serbs living in the northern part of Kosovo's border with Serbia set up roadblocks and some people opened fire in protest.

The Kosovo government delayed the implementation of the new rules for a month.

Traveling with an identity card

Borrell said after "receiving guarantees" from Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti that an agreement had been reached on the identity documents of the EU-facilitated talks.

"Kosovo Serbs and all other citizens will be able to travel freely between Kosovo and Serbia using their identity cards," Borrell shared.

Kosovo is a small landlocked country in the Balkans bordered by Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia.

Many Serbs consider it the birthplace of their nation.

However, 92 percent of the 1.8 million people living in Kosovo are Albanian and only 6 percent are Serbs.

Kosovo, which was a province of Yugoslavia before the dissolution of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, sought its own autonomy and independence after the country disintegrated.

Serbia responded with repression of ethnic Albanians seeking independence.

This situation ended in 1999 when NATO bombed Serbia between March and June.

Serb forces withdrew from Kosovo, but for many Kosovo Albanians and Serbs, the conflict was never resolved.

The NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFor) is currently in Kosovo with a force of 3,770.

99 out of 193 United Nations countries, including the USA, the UK, and 22 out of 27 EU countries, have recognized Kosovo's independence.

(source)