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Belgrade to support Serbs in Kosovo in case of armed conflict with Pristina, Vucic pledges

Serbia will be with its people, Serbian President said

BELGRADE, November 20./TASS/. Serbia will support its citizens living in the north of Kosovo and Metohija in case of an armed conflict, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in an interview with Prva TV channel on Sunday.

""The Kosovo police <...> have nothing to do in northern Kosovo. Serbia [in case of a conflict] will be with its people. <...> I hope that this [armed conflict] will not happen, but it no longer depends on us. We would like to avoid it," Vucic stressed.

Earlier, Kosovo authorities decided to fine those who did not change their Serbian license plates, issuing warnings starting November 1. Fines will amount to 150 euros, and citizens will be instructed to replace Serbian plates with the registration plates of the unrecognized Kosovo. After April 21, 2023, when the transition period is over, the Kosovo police will be authorized to seize cars with Serbian plates.

In response, Kosovo and Metohija Serbs quitted all government institutions of unrecognized Kosovo. Kosovo Serb leader Goran Rakic resigned from the Kosovo government, along with Serb lawmakers, judges and municipality heads. Later, the Serb police officers took off Kosovo uniforms and shoulder straps right at a meeting.

The Quinta countries (the US, the UK, France, Germany and Italy) tried to force Pristina to postpone the decision on the registration plates by 10 months, but the authorities of the unrecognized republic ignored all appeals.

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