The peacekeeping mission of NATO in Kosovo, KFOR, on the morning of May 29, has increased its presence in the municipalities in the north of Kosovo, inhabited by a majority of Serbs.
Radio Free Europe journalists have reported on the increased presence of KFOR in Zveçan, Leposaviq and Zubin Potok, municipalities where tensions have increased in recent days.
The local Serbs of these municipalities gathered on May 29 to again oppose the new Albanian mayors, elected in the April 23 local elections.
On May 26, groups of local Serbs and the Kosovo Police clashed as the new municipal mayors entered the municipal buildings.
The international community has called on the Government of Kosovo to give up its decisions, and not to try to "enter by force" in the municipal buildings, while Pristina has defended the position that the new mayors should go to their offices.
The head of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, on May 28 called on Kosovo not to take "unilateral and destabilizing steps" in the north of Kosovo.
The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has stated that he understands the concerns of international partners, but "any other option would be a failure to fulfill constitutional obligations".
The local elections in the north were held after last November, the heads of the four northern municipalities, from Lista Serbe - the largest party of Kosovo Serbs - resigned.
This party abandoned all the institutions of Kosovo, due to the decision of the Government in Pristina to carry out the process of re-registration of cars with illegal Serbian license plates.
The elections were boycotted by the majority Serb population in that area, which now does not accept the results, namely the new mayors. /REL