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'''Protests in [[Serbia]]''' followed the [[2008 Kosovo declaration of independence|proclamation of independence]] by [[Kosovo]] on [[February 17]], [[2008]].
Violent '''Protests in [[Serbia]]''' followed the [[2008 Kosovo declaration of independence|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."<ref name="reuters serb">{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL1743063|title=Serbia condemns breakaway Kosovo as "false state"|publisher=Reuters|date=[[2008-02-17]]|accessdate=2008-02-17}}</ref>
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."<ref name="reuters serb">{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL1743063|title=Serbia condemns breakaway Kosovo as "false state"|publisher=Reuters|date=[[2008-02-17]]|accessdate=2008-02-17}}</ref>

Revision as of 03:10, 24 February 2008

You must add a |reason= parameter to this Cleanup template – replace it with {{Cleanup|reason=<Fill reason here>}}, or remove the Cleanup template.
 Violent Protests in Serbia followed the 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."[1]

February 17-20

On February 17, approximately 2,000 Serbs protested at the United States embassy in Belgrade, with some throwing stones and firecrackers at the building before being driven back by riot police.[2]

On February 18, a false bomb threat was called on a Slovenian Mercator store in Belgrade.[3] It was also announced that Beovizija 2008, originally scheduled for February 19, would be rescheduled to March 10 and 11.[4]

On February 19, Serbian protestors destroyed two UNMIK border checkpoints between Kosovo and Central Serbia.[5] Serbian minister for Kosovo, Slobodan Samardžić, declared that the act was legitimate and in line with the Government of Serbia's position. [6] A group called Mlada Bosna (Young Bosnia) also claimed responsibility for a string of hand-grenade attacks after Kosovo's declaration. [7] Protestors also damaged several foreign businesses in Užice, including Société Générale, UniCredit and the Croatian-owned supermarket Idea.[8] The Serbian division of U.S. Steel, based in Smederevo, had a false bomb threat called in.[9] In Belgrade, stones were thrown by protestors at the Turkish embassy.[10]

On February 20, the Australian embassy in Belgrade was closed in anticipation of the following day's protests. [11]

Kosovo is Serbia protest

File:Bbbb.jpg
Kosovo is Serbia rally
on Feb 21, 2008 in Belgrade
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kosovo is Serbia rally.
Wikisource has original text related to this article:

On February 21, a very large demonstration called Kosovo is Serbia was held in Belgrade in front of the Parliament organized by the Serbian government, with between 500,000 and 1,000,000 people attending. Many of the demonstrators waved Serbian flags, while some carried signs reading Stop USA terror. Protesters booed and jeered at every mention of the United States and the European Union as Nikolić accused them of being responsible for the perceived theft of Kosovo. [12]

Speakers at the protest were:

After the protest, people went to the Temple of Saint Sava for a religious service.

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 [13] nor by the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina [14], both of which are represented in Parliament.

The protest was peaceful until participants arrived at the US and Croatian embassies, where a group of about 1000 rioters[15] separated themselves and started attacking the two embassies. They burned the US embassy and caused minor damage to the Croatian embassy.[16]. Emergency services were able to put the fire out after protesters dissipated. [17]. At around 5 PM EST, American news service CNN reported that "charred remains" of an individual had been found inside the burnt-out offices. Flags of both the United States and Croatia were also burnt. [18] In response, a group of Croatian protestors burnt the Serbian flag in central Zagreb. [19] Police guarded the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade on February 22. [20]Protestors also broke windows of the embassy of Slovenia, the state that controls the EU presidency.[21] Other foreign embassies damaged in the course of the protest included those of Belgium, Germany and Turkey. [22][23] In Belgrade and Novi Sad, McDonald's shops were damaged by protestors.[24] 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. [25] Serbian politicians condemned the violence. [26] The total damage from the violence was estimated at over 8 million Serbian dinars ($US 143,000).[27]

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.[28] In response to the attacks, the German embassy announced that it would temporarily stop granting visas to Serbian citizens.[23]

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. [29] An explosive was set off in the Kosovo Serb enclave of Kosovska Mitrovica near a United Nations-run courthouse. [30] 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. [31] In Kraljevo, Obraz was responsible for the vandalization of an Evangelical church.[27]

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. [32]

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. [33] Despite the blockade, some of the protestors managed to make their way to Kosovska Mitrovica where they took part in clashes against UN police. [34] 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. [35] A concert by the Croatian band Hladno pivo scheduled for February 29 was similarly cancelled. [36]

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."[37] Slovenia also closed its own embassy, recommending its citizens not to travel to Serbia. [38]

The European Union froze talks with Serbia on the Stabilization and Association Agreement, the country's next step in EU-integration. [39] Meanwhile, nationalist organizations were reportedly spreading leaflets urging citizens to boycott banks and goods comming from the countries that support the independence of Kosovo. [40]

February 23

BBC News reported that nationalist Serbs are seeking to permanently separate North Kosovo from Prishtina, through a strategy of confrontation, sabotage, and low-level violence directed against international institutions.[41]

By this time, Serbian authorities reported that 200 hooligans from the Belgrade protest had been arrested.[42] The Kosovo-Central Serbia border crossings had also been normalized.[42]

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.[43]

References

  1. ^ "Serbia condemns breakaway Kosovo as "false state"". Reuters. 2008-02-17. Retrieved 2008-02-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ "Kosovo declares independence". International Herald Tribune Europe. 2008-02-17. Retrieved 2008-02-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ "Serbia calls for calm protests, cuts diplomatic ties (Roundup) - Europe". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  4. ^ "Zbog stanja na Kosovu do daljnjeg otkazana Beovizija". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  5. ^ "Srpski prosvjednici uništili dvije kontrolne točke UNMIK-a na Kosovu". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  6. ^ "Samardžić: Demoliranje kontrolnih točaka UNMIK-a je legitimno i u skladu s politikom srbijanske vlade". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  7. ^ "Sign Up". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  8. ^ "SEEbiz.eu - Retailing - Todorić's Idea attacked in Užice". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  9. ^ "B92 - Vesti - Neredi u gradovima Srbije - Internet, Radio i TV stanica; najnovije vesti iz Srbije". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  10. ^ "Serbia tries to claw back Kosovo - SBS World News Australia". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  11. ^ "Protesters want Kosovo decision reversed - Breaking News - National - Breaking News". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  12. ^ "Al Jazeera English - News - Serb Protesters Attack Us Embassy". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  13. ^ ":: Liberalno demokratska partija :: Vesti". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  14. ^ "Liga socijaldemokrata Vojvodine". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  15. ^ "US starts evacuation from Serbia". BBC. 2008-02-23. Retrieved 2008-02-23. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ "Belgrade's US Embassy set on fire". Associated Press. 21 February 2008.
  17. ^ "Furious U.S. warns Serbs over Belgrade embassy attack". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  18. ^ "U Beogradu napadnute hrvatska i američka ambasada - Jutarnji.hr". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  19. ^ "Gnjevni Boysi zapalili srpsku zastavu - Jutarnji.hr". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  20. ^ "Fresh violence in Kosovo Serb protests - CNN.com". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  21. ^ "Kosovo declares independence from Serbia; Russia protests, warning it will stir conflict". Charleston Daily Mail. 2008-02-17. Retrieved 2008-02-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ "DNEVNIAVAZ.BA - Multimedija - Huligani pale i ruše sve pred sobom!". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  23. ^ a b German embassy stopped giving visas to Serbian citizens, Večernji list
  24. ^ "Serbian president rejects Kosovo independence declaration". Adelaide Now. 2008-02-17. Retrieved 2008-02-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ "Ongoing violence threatens relations with Serbia – EU - News news". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  26. ^ "Blic Online". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22. {{cite web}}: Text "Politika" ignored (help); Text "Predsednik Tadić neće govoriti na mitingu" ignored (help)
  27. ^ a b Account of yesterday's chaos, B92, February 22, 2008
  28. ^ "U.N. council condemns Belgrade embassy attacks". Reuters. 2008-02-21. Retrieved 2008-02-21. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ "Srbijanski rezervisti kamenjem gađali kosovsku policiju na prijelazu Merdare". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  30. ^ "Javno - World". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  31. ^ "Belgrade Riots - Photo Essays - TIME". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  32. ^ "US-Serb Tension Mounts Over Kosovo - TIME". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  33. ^ "B92 - News - Politics - North Kosovo: UNMIK, students in new disturbance". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  34. ^ "The Associated Press: Kosovo Serb Protesters Attack UN Police". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  35. ^ "Sportal.hr - Cibona vraćena iz Beograda, Partizan garantira sigurnost". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  36. ^ "Otkazan koncert Hladnog piva u Beogradu - Jutarnji.hr". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  37. ^ "US to evacuate staff from Serbia". BBC News. 2008-02-22. Retrieved 2008-02-22. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  38. ^ "B92 - Vesti - Ambasada Slovenije zatvorena - Internet, Radio i TV stanica; najnovije vesti iz Srbije". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
  39. ^ "TODAY'S ZAMAN". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  40. ^ "Serbia gives reminder of defiance under Milosevic - Europe, News - Independent.co.uk". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  41. ^ "Serbs enact plan to sabotage Kosovo". 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
  42. ^ a b Serbia: Police and Authorities Allowed Attacks, Večernji list, February 23, 2008
  43. ^ Serbia on verge of isolation after riots
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