The senior advisor of the US Department of State, Derek Chollet, canceled his visit to Kosovo, for "family reasons", Radio Free Europe learns.
It was planned that Chollet and the American envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, will meet today's afternoon with the top leaders of the state of Kosovo, while on Tuesday morning, representatives of the political parties.
In an announcement by the Government of Kosovo, it was announced that Prime Minister Albin Kurti will meet only Escobar in the afternoon.
The visit comes at a time when the situation in the north of Kosovo - an area inhabited by a majority of Serbs - is tense.
Some local Serbs there, as early as December 10, erected barricades and blocked the roads leading to the border points with Serbia, Jarinje and Brnjak.
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These actions were taken after the Kosovo Police arrested the former member of this institution, Dejan Pantiq, under suspicion of involvement in attacks against the officials of the Central Election Commission in the north of Kosovo and the police.
The attacks happened while the CEC was preparing for local elections in the northern municipalities: Leposaviq, Zveçan, North Mitrovica and Zubin Potok.
The elections were announced after mayors and other Serbian representatives left their workplaces in early November, protesting a decision by the Government of Kosovo not to allow the circulation of cars with license plates issued by Serbia.
Serbian representatives, supported by official Belgrade, also opposed the elections, which were originally scheduled for December 18.
Due to the tense situation, the president of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, postponed them to April next year.
Kosovo authorities accused "Serbian criminal gangs, led by Belgrade", for several incidents involving firearms and stun grenades that occurred in the north in recent days. Serbian officials said Kosovo's leaders are trying to "drive" the Serbs out of the north.
The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, said that the Serbian authorities will make a request to the NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR, that in accordance with Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council, ensure the deployment of members of the army and police Serbs in the territory of Kosovo.
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There was no reaction from KFOR regarding this request. /REL
