The Head of Foreign Policy of the European Union, Josep Borell expressed “alarm” on Friday with the tense situation in the north of Kosovo.

“Very alarmed by the situation in north of Kosova: extrajudicial arrests of Kosova Serbs and Kosova Security Forces marching in South of Mitrovica; followed by heavy rhetoric from Serbia.

Despite yesterday’s crisis meeting, escalation continues and is becoming dangerous. We will not tolerate it,” head of EU diplomacy wrote on Twitter.

His statement followed the announcement by the Kosova police of the arrest of a Serbian citizen in the north of Mitrovica, on suspicion of involvement in the attacks on KFOR forces on May 29, in which at least 30 members of the peacekeeping forces were injured.

The Prime Minister of Kosova, Albin Kurti, said that training of the Security Force is a planned routine on an annual basis, for which KFOR is fully informed. “Disinformation is dangerous and unacceptable,” he wrote in a post on social networks, in which he also mentioned Friday’s arrest of a suspect for attacking KFOR forces.

“As the prime minister of a democratic state, I have zero involvement in crime investigations and arrests,” Prime Minister Kurti wrote, calling for the news to be verified before reacting.

“Spreading panic and false claims only inflames tensions and helps others seek escalation. A call to everyone: Please confirm your sources and wait for official information from Kosova’s institutions before publicly engaging in news distribution or predicting events,” Prime Minister Kurti wrote.

Tensions between Kosova and Serbia rose late last month when authorities began implementing the outcome of the April 23 election, boycotted by Serbian political parties. In the northern municipalities, groups of Serbian citizens continue to oppose the placement of Albanian mayors in municipal offices.

The arrest of three members of the Kosova police by the Serbian forces on June 14 increased the tensions between the parties.

/a.p./