Kosovo Serb jailed for attacking NATO soldiers

A Kosovo Serb accused of attacking NATO's Peace Force in Kosovo (KFOR) soldiers was sentenced to 15 months in prison on Monday.

In a case heard at the Basic Court in the capital Pristina, Nenad Orlovic was sentenced to 15 months in prison for "attacking an official" and 6 months in prison for "participating in a crowd committing crimes and hooliganism" in Zvecan in the north of Kosovo on May 29, 2023.

The 6-month prison sentence was converted into a fine of 12,000 euros ($12,875) by agreement of the parties.

The court stated that the time Orlovic spent in custody, who was caught by the Kosovo police on June 26, 2023, will be counted in his 15-month prison sentence.

The extraordinary local elections held on April 23, 2023 in 4 municipalities in the north of Kosovo (Zvecan, Zubin Potok, Leposavic and Northern Mitrovica) were won by the candidates of the minority Albanian political parties as a result of the boycott of the majority Serbs.

Kosovo Serbs organized demonstrations that lasted weeks after the Albanian mayors took office.

There were tensions between the Kosovo police and Kosovo Serbs, who were sent to the region to protect the Albanian mayors, and on May 29, 2023, 93 KFOR soldiers were injured in clashes with Kosovo Serbs.