Latest Kosovo News

US official says Kosovo's ban on dinar use may spark a 'humanitarian issue' for ethnic Serbs

Mar. 14, 2024 14:06 PM EDT

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — A senior U.S. official on Thursday said he was “very concerned” that Kosovo’s decision to ban the use of Serbian dinar in the north could cause “an emerging humanitarian issue” for the ethnic Serb minority. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State...

A US envoy urges Kosovo and Serbia to make tough decisions to restart talks on normalizing ties

Mar. 13, 2024 10:47 AM EDT

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — A senior U.S. official on Wednesday urged Kosovo and Serbia to make tough decisions to restart talks and “move forward” on normalizing ties. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gabriel Escobar met with officials in Kosovo in the latest American effort to...

Senior US official travels to Kosovo to revive Kosovo-Serbia talks after tensions over currency

Mar. 12, 2024 13:45 PM EDT

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — A senior U.S. official on Tuesday said he would be visiting Kosovo in the next days to put “back on track” talks on normalizing ties between Kosovo and Serbia, after tensions escalated over Kosovo's decision to ban the use of the Serbian dinar. Deputy...

Kosovo OKs referendums in 4 Serb-majority municipalities on whether to oust ethnic Albanian mayors

Mar. 09, 2024 15:39 PM EST

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo’s Central Electoral Commission on Saturday approved referendums in four Serb-majority municipalities to be held on April 21 on whether to oust their ethnic Albanian mayors whose election last year raised tensions between Serbia and Kosovo. The...

A Kosovo court sentences a man to prison for planning an attack on LGBTQ+ marchers

Mar. 05, 2024 08:51 AM EST

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — A Kosovo court on Tuesday sentenced a man to three-and-a-half years in prison for planning attacks. A Pristina court statement said the man contacted a person in Saudi Arabia to learn how to create bombs he planned to use against an LGBTQ+ march in the...

Western Balkans leaders pledge to speed up reforms for EU growth plan

Feb. 29, 2024 08:37 AM EST

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — The leaders of Western Balkan countries agreed Thursday to speed up regional cooperation to benefit more from a new European Union plan of financial aid that will help provide a faster road to membership. Brussels' plan calls for 6 billion euros (about $6.5...

2 Serbs sentenced over an attack on NATO-led peacekeepers in Kosovo

Feb. 27, 2024 10:07 AM EST

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — A Kosovo court on Tuesday sentenced two ethnic Serbs to six-month jail terms for attacking NATO-led peacekeepers a year ago. But one of them will be released for time served, and the other can avoid jail time if he pays a 6,000 euro ($6,500) fine. ...

Thousands of minority Serbs protest Kosovo's decision to abolish the Serbian dinar

Feb. 12, 2024 12:31 PM EST

MITROVICA, Kosovo (AP) — Thousands of minority Serbs in Kosovo on Monday protested a ban on the use of the Serbian currenc y in areas where they live, an issue that is proviking the latest crisis in relations between Serbia and Kosovo. Tensions escalated after the government of...

Leaders of Serbia and Kosovo spar at the UN over the latter's ban of the Serbian dinar

Feb. 09, 2024 13:03 PM EST

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo sparred at the United Nations over the latter's ban of the use of the Serbian currency in areas where minority Serbs live, the latest crisis between the two governments. Tensions escalated after the government of Kosovo, a...

Germany doubles its commitment of troops to the NATO-led peacekeepers in Kosovo

Feb. 05, 2024 10:07 AM EST

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Germany will double its contribution of about 100 troops to the NATO-led peacekeepers in Kosovo in a demonstration of its commitment to regional security, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Monday. Pistorius, who was on a regional tour to Kosovo...