The French Foreign Ministry expressed its “deep” concern about the current developments in northern Kosovo.
In a statement, on Monday, it expressed its condemnation of the attacks targeting the European Union Law Enforcement Mission in Kosovo (EOLEX), and all forms of violence there.
The statement called on the parties concerned to reduce tension and exercise responsibility and restraint, pointing to France’s “extreme” concern over the developments in northern Kosovo.
Early general elections are scheduled to take place in 4 Serb-majority municipalities in northern Kosovo on December 18.
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Kosovo strengthened its security forces in these areas, with the aim of securing the elections, which caused tension to escalate again between the two neighboring countries, due to the fact that the aforementioned areas have a Serb majority.
The Serbian authorities criticized the Kosovo government’s move, saying it was an attempt to invade the northern regions of the country inhabited by Kosovo Serbs.
This escalation comes in light of the ongoing tension between Serbia and Kosovo for months, following the Pristina government’s attempt to ask the Kosovo Serbs to replace old car plates coming from neighboring Serbia with plates issued by Kosovo.
Kosovo, whose majority population is Albanian, seceded from Serbia in 1999 and declared its independence from it in 2008, but Belgrade still considers it part of its territory and supports a Serb minority in it.
