MOSCOW, August 1. /TASS/. The European Union is unable of fulfilling responsibly and effectively its mission of a mediator in the situation regarding Kosovo, Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko said on Monday.

"The European Union is incapable of fulfilling its mediatory mission responsibly, effectively and in line with the international obligations. This is obvious," Botsan-Kharchenko said speaking in an interview with Russi’s Rossiya-24 television channel.

According to the Russian ambassador the European Union has recently decided to side with "Pristina’s stance."

Tensions escalated dramatically in Kosovo and Metohija on Sunday after Kosovo police had closed a checkpoint on the administrative line with Serbia as part of preparations for the implementation of the ban.

In response, Serbs living in the northern part of Kosovo came out to protest and blocked major roads. Police officers and members of the NATO-led Kosovo Force international mission (KFOR) were deployed to a bridge across the Ibar River, which connects the northern and southern parts of Kosovska Mitrovica.

As a result of international efforts, Pristina decided to postpone the ban until September 1.