Switzerland has been hosting discreet meetings between officials of Kosovo and Serbia in an effort to defuse tensions in the Balkan region.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/mga
A stand-off has developed in northern Kosovo with its Serbian neighbours as an incident over car number plates has escalated.
Members of the local Kosovar police force resigned en masse and truck drivers have blockaded roads in the region that has a majority Serb population.
The NZZ am Sonntag newspaper reports that the Swiss foreign ministry has arranged a number of secret talks between the two countries. The content of these discreet meetings has not been made public.
But Switzerland is employing its traditional good offices role in an effort to find agreement in the dispute.
Since 1999, Switzerland has been involved in NATO’s international peacekeeping mission Kosovo Force (KFOR) in Kosovo. There are currently 195 Swiss soldiers in the region.
But the foreign ministry believes diplomacy is the right tool to alleviate the current situation that has seen gunfire exchanged during isolated flashpoints.
Swiss parliamentarian Franz Grüter, who is due to visit the region on a fact-finding mission, told the newspaper that the stand-off resembles that of Russia and Ukraine.
“It cannot be ruled out that the same thing will happen in the Balkans and that Serbia will invade Kosovo with the support of Russia,” he said.
But former Swiss ambassador to Kosovo (2016-2020), Jean-Hubert Lebet, is not so alarmed. “As ambassador, I experienced such Serbian provocations several times,” he said. “It was a bluff every time and I don’t see why it should be any different this time.”
The risk of a large-scale action would be too great for Serbia, said Lebet. “NATO would strike back immediately and Serbia would lose any prospect of EU integration.”
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss keep an eye on tensions in Kosovo
This content was published on
Things are tense in northern Kosovo as a deadline approaches for Serbs to swap their Belgrade-issued number plates for local ones.
Government wants to extend Swisscoy mission to 2026
This content was published on
If parliamentarians agree, Switzerland’s contribution to the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo will be extended by another three years.
Former Swiss prosecutor ‘targeted by Serbian assassins’
This content was published on
Ex-Swiss prosecutor Dick Marty has been under armed guard for two years following death threats he believes originate from Serbia.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.