2008 protests in Serbia
Encyclopedia
Kosovo is Serbia protests followed the 2008 proclamation of independence
by Kosovo
on February 17, 2008.
The Prime Minister of Serbia, Vojislav Koštunica
, blamed the United States
for being "ready to violate the international order for its own military interests" and stated that "Today, this policy of force thinks that it has triumphed by establishing a false state. [...] As long as the Serb people exist, Kosovo will be Serbia."
On February 21, a very large demonstration called Kosovo is Serbia (Косово је Србија, Kosovo je Srbija) was held in Belgrade in front of the Parliament organized by the Serbian government, with up to 2,000,000 people attending.
Speakers at the protest were:
After the protest, people went to the Temple of Saint Sava
for a religious service, where a speech was held by acting head of the Serbian Orthodox Church
, Metropolitan Archbishop Amfilohije Risto Radović of Montenegro and the Littoral
.
The president of Serbia
and commander-in-chief of Serbian Armed Forces
, Boris Tadic
(Democratic Party
), did not attend.
The rally was not supported by the Liberal Democratic Party nor by the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina
, both of which are represented in Parliament.
The protest was peaceful until participants arrived at the US, Slovenian and Croatian embassies, where a group of about 1000 rioters
separated themselves and started attacking the embassies. They burned the US embassy, entered and destroyed interior and exterior of Slovenian embassy and caused minor damage to the Croatian embassy. The security cameras in Slovenian embassy also filmed the action outside the embassy where Serbian police didn't try to stop the protesters from entering the embassy, instead they moved away which caused protests in Slovenia.
Emergency services were able to put the fire out in embassies after protesters dissipated.
At around 21:00 UTC, American news service CNN reported that "charred remains" of an individual had been found inside the burnt-out offices. Flags of United States, Croatia, Slovenia and European Union were also burnt.
In response, a group of around fifty Croatian protesters burnt the Serbian flag in central Zagreb
, after which the police arrested 44 of them. Police guarded the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade on February 22.
Other foreign embassies damaged in the course of the protest included those of Belgium
, Germany
and Turkey
.
In Belgrade
and Novi Sad
, McDonald's
shops were damaged by protestors.
According to Serbian sources, the violent protestors were ad hoc football fans. 54 policemen and 34 citizens were injured. A Dutch journalist suffered broken ribs.
Serbian politicians condemned the violence.
The total damage from the violence was estimated at over 8 million Serbian dinar
s ($US 143,000).
The United Nations Security Council
responded to these incidents by issuing a unanimous statement that, "The members of the Security Council condemn in the strongest terms the mob attacks against embassies in Belgrade, which have resulted in damage to embassy premises and have endangered diplomatic personnel," noting that the 1961 Vienna Convention requires host state states to protect embassies.
In response to the attacks, the German embassy announced that it would temporarily stop granting visas to Serbian citizens.
Also on February 21, Serbian army reservists from Kuršumlija
took their protest into Kosovo, during which time they attacked the Kosovo Police Service
with stones. An explosive was set off in the Kosovo Serb enclave of Kosovska Mitrovica
near a United Nations
-run courthouse.
During the rally there were people who carried portarits of ICTY-fugitive former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic
and the blue-red flag of the far-right Orthodox
organization Obraz
. In Kraljevo
, Obraz was responsible for the vandalization of an Evangelical church. In Valjevo
, a Slovenian firm Sava Osiguranje was set on fire, most likely by protesting youths.
The Radio Television of Serbia
took American films and sitcoms off the air, replacing them with content from Spain and Russia, who have been against Kosovo's independence.
Despite the blockade, some of the protestors managed to make their way to Kosovska Mitrovica
where they took part in clashes against UN police.
The Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration warned against travelling to Belgrade, resulting in the cancellation of an Adriatic League basketball match between Zagreb's KK Cibona
and Belgrade's KK Partizan
.
A concert by the Croatian band Hladno pivo
scheduled for February 29 was similarly cancelled.
Also on February 22, the United States
embassy in Serbia ordered the temporary evacuation
of all non-essential personnel, after the protests and attacks on the embassy. Rian Harris, a U.S. embassy spokeswoman, explained the evacuation to AFP
saying that "Dependents are being temporarily ordered to depart Belgrade. We do not have confidence that Serbian authorities can provide security for our staff members."
Slovenia also closed its own embassy, recommending its citizens not to travel to Serbia.
The European Union froze talks with Serbia
on the Stabilization and Association Agreement, the country's next step in EU-integration. Meanwhile, nationalist organizations were reportedly spreading leaflets urging citizens to boycott banks and goods coming from the countries that support the independence of Kosovo.
reported that nationalist Serbs are seeking to permanently separate North Kosovo
from Priština
, through a strategy of confrontation, sabotage, and low-level violence directed against international institutions. With continued Serb protests in northern Mitrovica, EU staff withdrew from the area. The American embassy drew down staffing in Belgrade with a convoy headed to Croatia.
By this time, Serbian authorities reported that 200 rioters from the Belgrade protest had been arrested. The Kosovo-Central Serbia border crossings had also been normalized.
The Liberal Democratic Party and the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina
again expressed criticism of prime minister Koštunica and his handling of the events since Kosovo's declaration.
. The United States' ambassador to Serbia called on the country's leaders to do more to protect foreign diplomatic missions.
; a small group of them later approached the U.S. embassy branch office, damaging shopfronts and stoning police who blocked their path. Eventually, they were dispersed by tear gas. The United States raised its travel alert for Serbia to a travel warning. Protests continued in Mitrovica where students staged a mock football (soccer)
game in which one team represented Serbia and the other team states which have recognized Kosovo. Zoran Vujović, the protestor who died during the attack on the U.S. embassy, was buried in Novi Sad on February 26. Several thousand people attended the funeral.
said that "Serbia's government should act quickly to reduce the dangerously hostile climate for human rights groups" since the Kosovo declaration. On February 29, Serbian police charged 80 people in connection with the embassy attacks.
drew a crowd of several thousand people on February 28
, including suspended Serb policemen of KPS.
The clashes lasted until around noon. One Ukrainian police officer was killed, 70 Serbs and 61 UN and NATO peacekeepers were wounded, and one UN vehicle and one NATO truck were set ablaze. Among the wounded international troops were 27 Polish and 14 Ukrainian police officers and 20 French soldiers. UN police withdrew from northern Mitrovica, leaving the area under the control of the NATO forces.
Gen. John Craddock, NATO's top commander, said that after speaking with NATO commanders in Kosovo that NATO did not feel it necessary to send reinforcements to Kosovo. On 19 March, UN police began to patrol parts of north Mitrovica again together with local Kosovo police, while the NATO peacekeepers still remained in overall control of security at the courthouse and generally in the north of Kosovo. A gradual transition to civilian control will happen over the next days.
Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried
said Kosovo's response to the "provocations in the north" vindicates the US's decision to recognize Kosovo's independence declaration. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice
urged Serbian leaders to press the minority Serb community in Kosovo to avoid "provocative action" following the clashes in Mitrovica March 17.
officials urged for UNMIK to secure the borders of Kosovo leading up to the arrival of the EU's mission in Kosovo with Dutch Foreign Minister
Maxime Verhagen
saying they wanted to avoid a "soft partition" of Kosovo.
's President
Boris Tadic
accused the international forces in Kosovo of using "excessive force" and warned of "an escalation of unrest on all the territory of the province" following clashes in Mitrovica over UN court seizures. Serbia's caretaker Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica
said his government was consulting with Russia on joint steps to stop "all forms of violence against Kosovo Serbs" and accused NATO of "implementing a policy of force against Serbia". It was reported steps could include the deployment of Russian troops in the north. Minister for Kosovo Slobodan Samardzic told protesters, "We will protect you just like we protect the Serbs in Serbia."
called for a resumption of talks on the status of Kosovo, saying the unrest was a result of the territory's unilateral independence declaration.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon
condemned the attacks against UN and NATO-led forces following the clashes on March 17 and urged "all communities to exercise calm and restraint."
's Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing concern over unrest and calling for Serbs in Kosovo to avoid violence.
n Foreign Minister
Ursula Plassnik
called on Serbia and Kosovo Serb leaders to promote calm in the region adding, "The Serbian government has repeatedly vowed to refrain from violence as a political tool. This must also be carried out consistently."
Milorad Dodik
, the Prime Minister
of Republika Srpska
said the use of force against Serb protesters in northern Kosovo was “inappropriate whatever the cause for that might be.”
recognized Kosovo's independence. This move by the Montenegrin government
, opposed by many in the country, led to a protest rally in Podgorica
on October 13 attended by over 20,000 people. The rally, held in front of the Parliament of Montenegro
building, was organized by the Serb List
, Socialist People's Party of Montenegro
, People's Party
, Democratic Serb Party of Montenegro
, and other opposition parties. It was backed by Movement for Changes
and the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral
of the Serbian Orthodox Church
, and Metropolitan
Amfilohije Radović
was announced as speaker. http://www.mtsmondo.com/news/vesti/text.php?vest=112504 Demonstrators demanded that the Montenegrin government and Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic rescind their recognition of Kosovo. They waved Serbian flags, chanting "Kosovo is Serbia" and other slogans against the prime minister and his cabinet, calling them ustashas and shiptar
s. At the end of the rally, riots broke out and small groups attacked riot police in front of the parliament building. The rioters were eventually driven back by police, and 28 people were arrested. http://www.mtsmondo.com/news/vesti/text.php?vest=112531
2008 Kosovo declaration of independence
The 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence was adopted on 17 February 2008 by individual members of the Assembly of Kosovo acting in personal capacity and not binding to the Assembly itself...
by Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
on February 17, 2008.
The Prime Minister of Serbia, Vojislav Koštunica
Vojislav Koštunica
Vojislav Koštunica is a Serbian politician, statesman and the president of the Democratic Party of Serbia. He was the last President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, succeeding Slobodan Milošević and serving from 2000 to 2003...
, blamed the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for being "ready to violate the international order for its own military interests" and stated that "Today, this policy of force thinks that it has triumphed by establishing a false state. [...] As long as the Serb people exist, Kosovo will be Serbia."
February 17–20, 2008
- On February 17, approximately 2,000 Serbs protested and stoned, then entered SlovenianSloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
embassy in which they made major damage (Slovenia was the governing country of EUEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
at the time), burnt down portions of the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and CroatiaCroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n embassy in Belgrade, with some throwing stones and firecrackers at the building before being driven back by riot police.
- On February 18, a false bomb threat was called on a SloveniaSloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n MercatorMercator (retail)Mercator is a Slovenian retail chain based in Ljubljana. The company was founded in 1949 under the name Živila Ljubljana, but four years later it was renamed and given its current name...
store in BelgradeBelgradeBelgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
. It was also announced that Beovizija 2008Beovizija 2008Beovizija 2008 was the 6th Beovizija music festival. The semi-finals were to be held on February 19, 2008 while the finals were to be held a day later. However due to unilateral declaration of independence of its southern province Kosovo, the festival was delayed until March 9 when the semi-finals...
, originally scheduled for February 19, would be rescheduled to March 10 and 11. In the multi-ethnic northern Serbian town of SuboticaSuboticaSubotica is a city and municipality in northern Serbia, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
, approximately 300 protesting Serbs youths chanted nationalist slogans directed against the country's Albanian, Hungarian and Croat communities.
- On February 19, Serbian protestors destroyed two UNMIK border checkpoints between Kosovo and Central SerbiaCentral SerbiaCentral Serbia , also referred to as Serbia proper , was the region of Serbia from 1945 to 2009. It included central parts of Serbia outside of the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina. The region of Central Serbia was not an administrative division of Serbia as such; it was under the...
. Serbian minister for Kosovo, Slobodan SamardžićSlobodan SamardžicSlobodan Samardžić is a Serbian academic and politician, and the former Minister for Kosovo-Metohija in the Government of Serbia succeeded by Goran Bogdanović.- Biography :...
, declared that the act was legitimate and in line with the Government of Serbia's position. A group called Mlada Bosna (Young Bosnia) also claimed responsibility for a string of hand-grenade attacks after Kosovo's declaration. Protestors also damaged several foreign businesses in UžiceUžiceUžice is a city and municipality in western Serbia, located at the banks of the Đetinja river. It is the administrative center of the Zlatibor District...
, including Société GénéraleSociété GénéraleSociété Générale S.A. is a large European Bank and a major Financial Services company that has a substantial global presence. Its registered office is on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, while its head office is in the Tours Société Générale in the business district of La...
, UniCreditUniCreditUniCredit SpA is an Italy-based, pan-European banking organization, with aprox 40 million customers and operations in 22 countries.- Geography :...
and the Croatian-owned supermarket Idea. The Serbian division of U.S. SteelU.S. SteelThe United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
, based in SmederevoSmederevoSmederevo is a city and municipality in Serbia, on the right bank of the Danube, about 40 km downstream of the capital Belgrade. According to official results of the 2011 census, the city has a population of 107,528...
, had a false bomb threat called in. In BelgradeBelgradeBelgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, stones were thrown by protestors at the TurkishTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
embassy.
- On February 20, the AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n embassy in Belgrade was closed in anticipation of the following day's protests. A protest in NišNišNiš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
drew several thousand people and was peaceful.
Kosovo is Serbia protest
Speakers at the protest were:
- Vojislav KoštunicaVojislav KoštunicaVojislav Koštunica is a Serbian politician, statesman and the president of the Democratic Party of Serbia. He was the last President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, succeeding Slobodan Milošević and serving from 2000 to 2003...
, Prime Minister of Serbia (Democratic Party of SerbiaDemocratic Party of SerbiaThe Democratic Party of Serbia is a political party in Serbia.-Foundation:The Democratic Party of Serbia was founded when a faction of the Democratic Party that supported its involvement in the Democratic Movement of Serbia split from the party and formed their own in 1992.Soon after the March...
) - Tomislav NikolićTomislav NikolicTomislav "Toma" Nikolić is a Serbian politician, President of the Serbian Progressive Party. He is also a former member of the Serbian Radical Party, where he served as Deputy Leader of the party and parliamentary leader during the absence of Vojislav Šešelj...
, Serbian opposition leader (Serbian Radical PartySerbian Radical PartyThe Serbian Radical Party is a far-right Serbian nationalist political party in Serbia, founded in 1991. Currently the second-largest party in the Serbian National Assembly, it has branches in three of the nations that currently border Serbia – all former federal republics of Yugoslavia...
) - Milorad DodikMilorad DodikMilorad Dodik , is the President of Republika Srpska, and the president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats political party. He graduated from the Belgrade University of Political Sciences .-Political career:...
, Prime Minister of Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
's Republic of Srbska (Alliance of Independent Social Democrats) - Andrija MandićAndrija MandicAndrija Mandić is a Montenegrin politician. He is the President of the major ethnic Serb political party in Montenegro, the New Serb Democracy...
, Serb opposition leader from Montenegro (Serb People's Party) - Predrag Popović, opposition politician from Montenegro (People's PartyPeople's Party (Montenegro)The People's Party is an opposition populist political party in Montenegro. It is the main conservative party in Montenegro, as opposed to ruling party and its main opposition, both of which are socialist orientated.At the last legislative elections in Montenegro, in March 2009, NS formed a...
) - Dejan BodirogaDejan BodirogaDejan Bodiroga is a retired Serbian professional basketball player.He is offten considered as one of the best players who did not play in the NBA....
, basketball player - Emir KusturicaEmir KusturicaEmir Nemanja Kusturica , is a Serbian filmmaker, actor and musician, recognized for several internationally acclaimed feature films...
, filmmaker - Novak Đoković, tennis player (through video link)
- Ivana Žigon, actress
- Nenad Jezdić, actor
- Nataša Tapušković, actress
- Alexander KarađorđevićAlexander, Crown Prince of YugoslaviaAlexander II Karadjordjevic, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia , is the former crown prince of the former Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the head of the House of Karadjordjevic. Alexander is the only child of former King Peter II of Yugoslavia and Princess Alexandra of Greece and Denmark...
, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia, successor to the Serbian throne and head of the House of Karadjordjevic
After the protest, people went to the Temple of Saint Sava
Temple of Saint Sava
The Cathedral of Saint Sava or Saint Sava Temple in Vračar, Belgrade, is an Orthodox church, the largest in the Balkans, and one of the 10 largest church buildings in the world.. The church is dedicated to Saint Sava, founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church and an important figure in medieval Serbia...
for a religious service, where a speech was held by acting head of the Serbian Orthodox Church
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...
, Metropolitan Archbishop Amfilohije Risto Radović of Montenegro and the Littoral
Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral
The Metropolitanate of Montenegro is the largest diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro. Founded in 1219 by Saint Sava, it is now one of the most prominent dioceses in the Serbian Orthodox Church. The current Metropolitan is Amfilohije...
.
The president of Serbia
President of Serbia
The President of Serbia is the head of state of Serbia. Presently serving as the head of state is Boris Tadić. He was elected with a narrow majority of 50.31% in the 2008 Serbian presidential elections.-Authority, legal and constitutional rights:...
and commander-in-chief of Serbian Armed Forces
Military of Serbia
The Serbian Armed Forces are the armed services of Serbia. They consist of the Serbian Army and the Serbian Air Force and Air Defence...
, Boris Tadic
Boris Tadic
Boris Tadić is the President of Serbia and leader of the Democratic Party. He was elected to a five-year term on 27 June 2004, and was sworn into office on 11 July. He was re-elected for a de facto second five-year term on 3 February 2008 and was sworn in on 15 February...
(Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Serbia)
The Democratic Party is a political party in Serbia. It is described as a social liberal or social democratic party.-Pre-war history:The Democratic Party was established on 16 February 1919 from unification of Sarajevo parties independent radicals, progressives, liberals and the Serbian part of...
), did not attend.
The rally was not supported by the Liberal Democratic Party nor by the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina
League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina
The League of Vojvodina Social Democrats is a regionalist social democratic political party in Serbia...
, both of which are represented in Parliament.
separated themselves and started attacking the embassies. They burned the US embassy, entered and destroyed interior and exterior of Slovenian embassy and caused minor damage to the Croatian embassy. The security cameras in Slovenian embassy also filmed the action outside the embassy where Serbian police didn't try to stop the protesters from entering the embassy, instead they moved away which caused protests in Slovenia.
Emergency services were able to put the fire out in embassies after protesters dissipated.
At around 21:00 UTC, American news service CNN reported that "charred remains" of an individual had been found inside the burnt-out offices. Flags of United States, Croatia, Slovenia and European Union were also burnt.
In response, a group of around fifty Croatian protesters burnt the Serbian flag in central Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, after which the police arrested 44 of them. Police guarded the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade on February 22.
Other foreign embassies damaged in the course of the protest included those of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
In Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
and Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
, McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
shops were damaged by protestors.
According to Serbian sources, the violent protestors were ad hoc football fans. 54 policemen and 34 citizens were injured. A Dutch journalist suffered broken ribs.
Serbian politicians condemned the violence.
The total damage from the violence was estimated at over 8 million Serbian dinar
Serbian dinar
The dinar is the currency of Serbia. An earlier currency also called dinar was used in Serbia between 1868 and 1918. The earliest use of the dinar date to 1214. Today's Serbian dinar is a continuation of the last Yugoslav dinar...
s ($US 143,000).
The United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
responded to these incidents by issuing a unanimous statement that, "The members of the Security Council condemn in the strongest terms the mob attacks against embassies in Belgrade, which have resulted in damage to embassy premises and have endangered diplomatic personnel," noting that the 1961 Vienna Convention requires host state states to protect embassies.
In response to the attacks, the German embassy announced that it would temporarily stop granting visas to Serbian citizens.
Also on February 21, Serbian army reservists from Kuršumlija
Kuršumlija
Kuršumlija is a town and municipality located in the south of Serbia, nearby the rivers Toplica, Kosanica and Banjska, on the southeast of mountain Kopaonik, and northwest of Radan Mountain...
took their protest into Kosovo, during which time they attacked the Kosovo Police Service
Kosovo Police Service
Kosovo Police is the police law enforcement agency of the Republic of Kosovo.It was created in 1999 in the aftermath of the Kosovo War and subsequent withdrawal of the Yugoslav armed forces from Kosovo....
with stones. An explosive was set off in the Kosovo Serb enclave of Kosovska Mitrovica
Kosovska Mitrovica
Kosovska Mitrovica , is a city and municipality in northern Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous district....
near a United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
-run courthouse.
During the rally there were people who carried portarits of ICTY-fugitive former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic
Radovan Karadžic
Radovan Karadžić is a former Bosnian Serb politician. He is detained in the United Nations Detention Unit of Scheveningen, accused of war crimes committed against Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats during the Siege of Sarajevo, as well as ordering the Srebrenica massacre.Educated as a...
and the blue-red flag of the far-right Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
organization Obraz
Obraz
Obraz is a Serbian far right organization. The organization is classified as an Orthodox clero-fascist by several organizations and state institutions, including Assembly of Vojvodina and the Serbian Ministry of Interior...
. In Kraljevo
Kraljevo
Kraljevo is a city and municipality in central Serbia, built beside the river Ibar, 7 km west of its confluence with the Western Morava. It is located in the midst of an upland valley, between the mountains of Kotlenik in the north, and Stolovi in the south.In 2011 the city has population of...
, Obraz was responsible for the vandalization of an Evangelical church. In Valjevo
Valjevo
Valjevo is a city and municipality located in western Serbia. It is the center of the Kolubara District, which includes five other smaller municipalities with a total population of almost 180,000 people...
, a Slovenian firm Sava Osiguranje was set on fire, most likely by protesting youths.
The Radio Television of Serbia
Radio Television of Serbia
Radio Television of Serbia or Serbian Broadcasting Corporation is the public broadcaster in Serbia. It broadcasts and produces a variety of news, drama, and sports programming through radio, television and the Internet. RTS is, since July 2001, a member of the European Broadcasting Union. RTS is...
took American films and sitcoms off the air, replacing them with content from Spain and Russia, who have been against Kosovo's independence.
February 22
On February 22, NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR) began blocking entrance into Kosovo from Central Serbia to those who "threaten public order" after several hundred students from Belgrade, Niš, and Kragujevac attempted to cross in.Despite the blockade, some of the protestors managed to make their way to Kosovska Mitrovica
Kosovska Mitrovica
Kosovska Mitrovica , is a city and municipality in northern Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous district....
where they took part in clashes against UN police.
The Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration warned against travelling to Belgrade, resulting in the cancellation of an Adriatic League basketball match between Zagreb's KK Cibona
KK Cibona
Košarkaški klub Cibona is a professional basketball club based in Zagreb, Croatia. It competes in the Croatian League and the Adriatic League.-History:The club was founded in 1946 under the name Sloboda...
and Belgrade's KK Partizan
KK Partizan
Košarkaški klub Partizan is a Serbian professional basketball club. It is part of the multi-sports Belgrade-based club Partizan. The club competes in the Serbian League, Adriatic League and the Euroleague....
.
A concert by the Croatian band Hladno pivo
Hladno pivo
Hladno pivo is a Croatian punk rock band. It is one of most popular rock bands in Croatia.-Early history:The band was formed in Zagreb. It initially consisted of four members: Zok, Tedi, Suba, Mile...
scheduled for February 29 was similarly cancelled.
Also on February 22, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
embassy in Serbia ordered the temporary evacuation
Emergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation is the immediate and rapid movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Examples range from the small scale evacuation of a building due to a bomb threat or fire to the large scale evacuation of a district because of a flood, bombardment or...
of all non-essential personnel, after the protests and attacks on the embassy. Rian Harris, a U.S. embassy spokeswoman, explained the evacuation to AFP
Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse is a French news agency, the oldest one in the world, and one of the three largest with Associated Press and Reuters. It is also the largest French news agency. Currently, its CEO is Emmanuel Hoog and its news director Philippe Massonnet...
saying that "Dependents are being temporarily ordered to depart Belgrade. We do not have confidence that Serbian authorities can provide security for our staff members."
Slovenia also closed its own embassy, recommending its citizens not to travel to Serbia.
The European Union froze talks with Serbia
Accession of Serbia to the European Union
The accession of Serbia to the European Union is the process of the Republic of Serbia being admitted into the framework of the European Union as a full-fledged member state.Serbia officially applied for European Union membership on 22 December 2009...
on the Stabilization and Association Agreement, the country's next step in EU-integration. Meanwhile, nationalist organizations were reportedly spreading leaflets urging citizens to boycott banks and goods coming from the countries that support the independence of Kosovo.
February 23
BBC NewsBBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
reported that nationalist Serbs are seeking to permanently separate North Kosovo
North Kosovo
North or Northern Kosovo refers to a region in the northern part of Kosovo with an ethnic Serb majority that functions largely autonomously from the remainder of the disputed territory, which has an ethnic Albanian majority. Ibarian Kolashin , a toponym that pre-dates the political partition, is...
from Priština
Pristina
Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
, through a strategy of confrontation, sabotage, and low-level violence directed against international institutions. With continued Serb protests in northern Mitrovica, EU staff withdrew from the area. The American embassy drew down staffing in Belgrade with a convoy headed to Croatia.
By this time, Serbian authorities reported that 200 rioters from the Belgrade protest had been arrested. The Kosovo-Central Serbia border crossings had also been normalized.
The Liberal Democratic Party and the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina
League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina
The League of Vojvodina Social Democrats is a regionalist social democratic political party in Serbia...
again expressed criticism of prime minister Koštunica and his handling of the events since Kosovo's declaration.
February 24
With the seventh consecutive day of Serb protesting in Mitrovica, the February 24 protest drew approximately 1000 people. Despite some Serbian media outlets' claim to the contrary, Serbs from Northern Kosovo (which includes Mitrovica) have not been leaving the Kosovo Police ServiceKosovo Police Service
Kosovo Police is the police law enforcement agency of the Republic of Kosovo.It was created in 1999 in the aftermath of the Kosovo War and subsequent withdrawal of the Yugoslav armed forces from Kosovo....
. The United States' ambassador to Serbia called on the country's leaders to do more to protect foreign diplomatic missions.
February 25
Protest in Mitrovica drew 2000 people on February 25, during which the EU flag was burnt. On the Kosovo-Central Serbia border, 19 Kosovo police officers were injured by Serb protestors, before receiving additional help from NATO peacekeepers who dispersed the group.February 26
Serbia's National Security Council met to discuss how police had failed to stop the mob from attacking the embassy on the 21st. Later on the 26st, about 10,000 protested in Banja LukaBanja Luka
-History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...
; a small group of them later approached the U.S. embassy branch office, damaging shopfronts and stoning police who blocked their path. Eventually, they were dispersed by tear gas. The United States raised its travel alert for Serbia to a travel warning. Protests continued in Mitrovica where students staged a mock football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
game in which one team represented Serbia and the other team states which have recognized Kosovo. Zoran Vujović, the protestor who died during the attack on the U.S. embassy, was buried in Novi Sad on February 26. Several thousand people attended the funeral.
February 27
Human Rights WatchHuman Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
said that "Serbia's government should act quickly to reduce the dangerously hostile climate for human rights groups" since the Kosovo declaration. On February 29, Serbian police charged 80 people in connection with the embassy attacks.
February 28
Largest protest in ValjevoValjevo
Valjevo is a city and municipality located in western Serbia. It is the center of the Kolubara District, which includes five other smaller municipalities with a total population of almost 180,000 people...
drew a crowd of several thousand people on February 28
March 5–6
Protests in Mitrovica drew thousands on March 6, as well as several hundred in GračanicaGracanica, Kosovo
Gračanica is a town and municipality in central Kosovo, and a Serb enclave centered around the Gračanica monastery, located ten kilometers away from Pristina...
, including suspended Serb policemen of KPS.
Seizure of UN courthouse in Mitrovica
On March 14, 2008, after staging rallies for several weeks that prevented ethnic Albanian court employees from entering a UN courthouse in the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica, hundreds of Kosovo Serbs broke into the building in the Serb-dominated part of the city, forcing UN police to retreat. UN officials' negotiations with the Serbs to end the occupation were unsuccessful, and on March 17 UN police with the assistance of NATO-led KFOR forces entered the courthouse in a pre-dawn raid. When they arrived they were pelted with stones by around 100 Serbs. When they came out after arresting 53 of the protesters inside the courthouse they were attacked with gunfire, grenades and rocks by several hundred protesters who had massed outside. About half of the protesters who had been arrested were freed by fellow protesters during the clashes with the rest being released by the UN after questioning.The clashes lasted until around noon. One Ukrainian police officer was killed, 70 Serbs and 61 UN and NATO peacekeepers were wounded, and one UN vehicle and one NATO truck were set ablaze. Among the wounded international troops were 27 Polish and 14 Ukrainian police officers and 20 French soldiers. UN police withdrew from northern Mitrovica, leaving the area under the control of the NATO forces.
Gen. John Craddock, NATO's top commander, said that after speaking with NATO commanders in Kosovo that NATO did not feel it necessary to send reinforcements to Kosovo. On 19 March, UN police began to patrol parts of north Mitrovica again together with local Kosovo police, while the NATO peacekeepers still remained in overall control of security at the courthouse and generally in the north of Kosovo. A gradual transition to civilian control will happen over the next days.
Reactions
- Kosovo
KosovoKosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
Pieter FeithPieter FeithPieter Cornelis Feith is a Dutch diplomat, formerly serving as the European Union Special Representative and still as the International Civilian Representative in Kosovo.- About :...
, the International Civilian Representative in Kosovo and the EU's envoy to Kosovo, accused Serbia of attempting to "sever the links" between Albanians and Serbs in Kosovo. Feith added that the international steering groupInternational Steering Group for KosovoThe International Steering Group for Kosovo is an organization formed pursuant to the Ahtisaari Plan concerning the Kosovo status process...
set up to supervise Kosovo's independence "will not tolerate partition, because partition of this country is not foreseen and will not be accepted by us." Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim ThaciHashim ThaciHashim Thaçi is the Prime Minister of Republic of Kosovo, the leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo , and former political leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army .-Early life and education:...
said in a joint press conference with Feith that the "functioning of parallel institutions will not be tolerated."
Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried
Daniel Fried
Daniel Fried is a senior career diplomat of the United States who carries the rank of Ambassador. He is presently serving as a Special Envoy to facilitate the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp located in Cuba. Previously, he was the top U.S. diplomat in Europe, and prior to that he was...
said Kosovo's response to the "provocations in the north" vindicates the US's decision to recognize Kosovo's independence declaration. Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
urged Serbian leaders to press the minority Serb community in Kosovo to avoid "provocative action" following the clashes in Mitrovica March 17.
officials urged for UNMIK to secure the borders of Kosovo leading up to the arrival of the EU's mission in Kosovo with Dutch Foreign Minister
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs: it is occupied with the external relations of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including European cooperation and International development...
Maxime Verhagen
Maxime Verhagen
Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen is a Dutch politician in the Christian Democratic Appeal party. He is the Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and Deputy Prime Minister since October 14, 2010 in the Cabinet Rutte.He previously served as a Member of the European Parliament for...
saying they wanted to avoid a "soft partition" of Kosovo.
's President
President of Serbia
The President of Serbia is the head of state of Serbia. Presently serving as the head of state is Boris Tadić. He was elected with a narrow majority of 50.31% in the 2008 Serbian presidential elections.-Authority, legal and constitutional rights:...
Boris Tadic
Boris Tadic
Boris Tadić is the President of Serbia and leader of the Democratic Party. He was elected to a five-year term on 27 June 2004, and was sworn into office on 11 July. He was re-elected for a de facto second five-year term on 3 February 2008 and was sworn in on 15 February...
accused the international forces in Kosovo of using "excessive force" and warned of "an escalation of unrest on all the territory of the province" following clashes in Mitrovica over UN court seizures. Serbia's caretaker Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica
Vojislav Koštunica
Vojislav Koštunica is a Serbian politician, statesman and the president of the Democratic Party of Serbia. He was the last President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, succeeding Slobodan Milošević and serving from 2000 to 2003...
said his government was consulting with Russia on joint steps to stop "all forms of violence against Kosovo Serbs" and accused NATO of "implementing a policy of force against Serbia". It was reported steps could include the deployment of Russian troops in the north. Minister for Kosovo Slobodan Samardzic told protesters, "We will protect you just like we protect the Serbs in Serbia."
called for a resumption of talks on the status of Kosovo, saying the unrest was a result of the territory's unilateral independence declaration.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
condemned the attacks against UN and NATO-led forces following the clashes on March 17 and urged "all communities to exercise calm and restraint."
's Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing concern over unrest and calling for Serbs in Kosovo to avoid violence.
n Foreign Minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
Ursula Plassnik
Ursula Plassnik
Ursula Plassnik is an Austrian diplomat and politician. She was Foreign Minister of Austria between October 2004 and December 2008.-Early life and career:...
called on Serbia and Kosovo Serb leaders to promote calm in the region adding, "The Serbian government has repeatedly vowed to refrain from violence as a political tool. This must also be carried out consistently."
Milorad Dodik
Milorad Dodik
Milorad Dodik , is the President of Republika Srpska, and the president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats political party. He graduated from the Belgrade University of Political Sciences .-Political career:...
, the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
said the use of force against Serb protesters in northern Kosovo was “inappropriate whatever the cause for that might be.”
Protest in Montenegro
On October 9, 2008, MontenegroMontenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
recognized Kosovo's independence. This move by the Montenegrin government
Government of Montenegro
The Government of Montenegro is the executive branch of state authority in Montenegro. It is headed by the prime minister. It comprises the prime minister, the deputy prime ministers as well as ministers....
, opposed by many in the country, led to a protest rally in Podgorica
Podgorica
Podgorica , is the capital and largest city of Montenegro.Podgorica's favourable position at the confluence of the Ribnica and Morača rivers and the meeting point of the fertile Zeta Plain and Bjelopavlići Valley has encouraged settlement...
on October 13 attended by over 20,000 people. The rally, held in front of the Parliament of Montenegro
Parliament of Montenegro
The Parliament of Montenegro is the unicameral legislature of Montenegro. The Parliament currently has 81 members, each elected for a four-year term. The current Speaker of the Parliament is Ranko Krivokapić, while the deputy speakers are Željko Šturanović and Rifat Rastoder...
building, was organized by the Serb List
Serb List
Serb List was a political alliance in Montenegro. In contrast to other political coalitions, the Serb List was not simply a coalition of parties, but an entity on its own; for instance, the MPs elected on its list are not considered to represent the party they originally come from, but the Serb List...
, Socialist People's Party of Montenegro
Socialist People's Party of Montenegro
The Socialist People's Party of Montenegro is a socialist opposition political party in Montenegro. It has 16 MPs in the Parliament of Montenegro, which it won on the 2009 parliamentary election...
, People's Party
People's Party (Montenegro)
The People's Party is an opposition populist political party in Montenegro. It is the main conservative party in Montenegro, as opposed to ruling party and its main opposition, both of which are socialist orientated.At the last legislative elections in Montenegro, in March 2009, NS formed a...
, Democratic Serb Party of Montenegro
Democratic Serb Party of Montenegro
The Democratic Serb Party or DSS is a Serbian political party in Montenegro. It was formed in 2003 following a split from the Serb People's Party led by Dr. Božidar Bojović who was its first party leader. Its second and current leader is Dr. Ranko Kadić...
, and other opposition parties. It was backed by Movement for Changes
Movement for Changes
Movement for Changes is a political party in Montenegro which has a proclaimed goal to integrate their country into the European Union and to support political and economic reforms to bring it into line with European norms...
and the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral
Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral
The Metropolitanate of Montenegro is the largest diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro. Founded in 1219 by Saint Sava, it is now one of the most prominent dioceses in the Serbian Orthodox Church. The current Metropolitan is Amfilohije...
of the Serbian Orthodox Church
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...
, and Metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
Amfilohije Radović
Amfilohije Radovic
Amfilohije Radović is the current Metropolitan of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, Archbishop of Cetinje.His role in the Yugoslav Wars is considered controversial.- Biography :...
was announced as speaker. http://www.mtsmondo.com/news/vesti/text.php?vest=112504 Demonstrators demanded that the Montenegrin government and Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic rescind their recognition of Kosovo. They waved Serbian flags, chanting "Kosovo is Serbia" and other slogans against the prime minister and his cabinet, calling them ustashas and shiptar
Shqiptar
Shqiptar is an Albanian language ethnonym , by which Albanians call themselves.- Origin theories :The origin of the ethnic name Shqiptar:...
s. At the end of the rally, riots broke out and small groups attacked riot police in front of the parliament building. The rioters were eventually driven back by police, and 28 people were arrested. http://www.mtsmondo.com/news/vesti/text.php?vest=112531
External links
- Belgrade Riots - Photo Essays, TIME.com, February 21, 2008
- In pictures: Belgrade rally, BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, February 21, 2008