In August, tensions between Serbia and Kosovo escalated when Pristina announced plans to introduce new border rules. The measures would have restricted entry from Serbia with Serbian-issued identification documents and license plates that were to be exchanged for Kosovo-issued documents at the border.
"From November 1 to November 21, a warning will be issued, and from November 21 to January 21, 2023, monetary fines will be introduced. From January 21 there will be two more months of trial registration plates, and then on April 21, 2023, no license plates other than RKS [Republic of Kosovo] will be allowed in Kosovo," Kurti said after the Kosovar cabinet meeting, as quoted by the Kosovo online news portal.
On August 27, Belgrade and Pristina reached a EU-brokered compromise deal on entry and exit regulations. Serbia agreed to abolish entry-exit documents for Kosovo ID holders, while Kosovo agreed not to introduce them for Serbian citizens. Belgrade maintains this move is only aimed at streamlining border crossing and does not mean that Serbia recognizes Kosovo's independence.
Meanwhile, Kosovo authorities require that local Serbs re-register their car license plates with letters "KM" to Pristina-issued plates featuring "RKS" before October 31.
Earlier in the week, Gabriel Escobar, deputy assistant secretary for the US State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and US envoy for the Balkans, visited Pristina where he suggested that Kosovar authorities postpone the deadline for re-registration of car license plates for 10 more months.
In February 2008, Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia, and nearly 100 UN member states have since recognized its independence. Several countries, including Serbia, Russia, China and Greece have not while some have withdrawn their recognition of Kosovo.