The US emissary of the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, will hold a meeting today with the leaders of the political parties in Kosova, after the meeting he held yesterday with the president Vjosa Osmani, and with the prime minister of the country, Albin Kurti. Escobar emphasized yesterday evening in a statement to the media that this was a routine visit to Kosova, as he refused to comment on the situation in the north of the country. In yesterday’s meetings, Escobar was also accompanied by the US ambassador in Prishtina, Jeff Hovenier. The visit of the US emissary comes at a time when the situation in the north of Kosova, an area inhabited by a majority of Serbs, is tense.

Some local Serbs there since December 10, erected barricades and blocked the roads leading to the border points with Serbia, Jarinje and Bërnjak. These actions were taken after the Kosova Police arrested the former member of this institution, Dejan Pantiç, under suspicion of involvement in attacks against the officials of the Central Election Commission in the north of Kosova and the police.

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