The Slovenian EU presidency on Monday strongly condemned violence that erupted in the northern part of the Kosovo flashpoint town of Mitrovica.
The European Union offered its full support to the joint efforts of UN mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) police and NATO-led peacekeeping forces (KFOR) to restore law and order after a court in the town had been forcibly seized by a mob on Friday, according to a statement by the EU presidency.
It said the bloc reiterated the importance of all components of international presence to effectively fulfill their mandate throughout the territory of Kosovo, in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 1244.
The Slovenian EU presidency said it strongly believed that there could be no place for violence in Kosovo and that a multi-ethnic Kosovo could only be built through co-operation of all its communities, while fully respecting the rule of law and democracy.
Some 300 protesters broke through an international police cordon in the northern, Serb-dominated section of the divided town of Mitrovica on Friday and broke into the UN municipal court building.
The violence escalated on Monday as Kosovo Serbs who seized the court building clashed with members of the international police of the UNMIK civilian mission. More than 100 UNMIK police officers and KFOR soldiers were injured in the clashes, Kosovo police said.
Meanwhile, more than 70 ethnic Serbs were injured in the morning clashes. Two Serbs were badly injured. They were transferred to Belgrade and Kragujevac for further medical treatment.
In Pristina, international security authorities released Monday afternoon all 32 Serbs arrested in the morning at the Mitrovica courthouse.
Source:Xinhua
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