Today marks two years since the violent protests by the local Serbian population in northern Kosovo against the newly elected Albanian mayors in the region. What began as political opposition quickly escalated into violent clashes.
During the protests in May 2023, demonstrators clashed with NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR. More than 90 KFOR personnel were injured during the confrontations.
The protests erupted after ethnic Serbs in North Mitrovica, Zveçan, Leposaviq, and Zubin Potok boycotted the local elections, leading to Albanian mayors being elected with very low turnout. The boycott was encouraged by the Serbian List (Lista Srpska), the largest Serb political party in Kosovo, backed by Belgrade.
The violent events drew strong reactions from Kosovo’s institutions, NATO, and the international community. Several individuals in Kosovo were arrested for participating in the violent demonstrations and for assaults on KFOR troops.
Meanwhile, in Serbia, it remains unclear whether authorities have launched any investigations into the attacks on NATO peacekeepers.
