State Police said in a statement that police are fully committed to defending state institutions, private properties, the citizens’ lives and the State Police workers themselves.

Police said that a part of anti-government protesters started throwing Molotov cocktails and flares at police and state institutions at the very beginning of the opposition rally and ten police officers were injured.

State Police called on protesters to stop throwing Molotov cocktails at police and the state institutions.

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In a post on Twitter, PM Rama said that no real progress can be made without the three Kosovo police officers released first.

The government head said that the three police officers detained by Serbia should return home safe and sound and then France and Germany should launch new action to put end to absurd tension in north of Kosovo.

“Without the three guys leaving Serbia safe and sound there is no space to make any inch of real progress! Once they will be back home, a firm new action of France and Germany is needed to stop this spiral of absurdity! BUT FIRST THING FIRST: FREE THE 3 POLICEMEN!” Rama twitted.

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PM Kurti has called for the immediate release of three police officers and urged international community to condemn this aggression by Serbia.

“Three Kosovo police officials have been kidnapped today in Leposavic in the place where there used to be an illegal smuggling route, which is located 300 meters within the territory of our state. We suspect that they were kidnapped by the Serbian army, clearly as revenge by Serbia for yesterday’s arrest of the notorious criminal Milun ‘Lune’ Milenkovic, who represents one of the leaders of organized crime and smuggling. Kosovo police have demonstrated extreme restrained over recent weeks. The entry of Serbian forces into the territory of Kosovo is aggression and an attempt for escalation and destabilization. We request the immediate release of three kidnapped police officers and call on international factors to condemn this aggression by Serbia,” PM Kurti wrote on Facebook.

Kosovo police confirmed that three police officers were kidnapped by the Serbian forces inside the territory of Kosovo on Wednesday midday.

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Dozens of Serbs gathered in the courtyards of three municipality buildings in the north of Kosovo to prevent the new mayors from entering the municipal facilities.

Serbs clashed with police escorting the new mayors into their municipal offices.

In addition to local citizens, heavy machinery, trucks and other vehicles were seen near the municipality buildings, while alarm sirens were used by criminal structures to call on people to gather.

Police confirmed that protestors in Zveçan used violence, hurling rocks and other objects, as well as flares at police officers.

Police said in a press release that relevant police unites were forced to act in self defence and use legitimate means, including tear gas, to disperse the crowd and allow mayors to access their offices.

The mayors of the municipalities Leposavic, Zubin Potok, and Zveçan were sworn in a day ago after having been elected in the April 23 local elections, while the ceremonies were held in facilities, mainly schools and local offices.

Local elections in the Serb-dominated northern municipalities were boycotted by Kosovo’s biggest Serbian party Srpska lista (Serb List), supported by official Belgrade.

The previous mayors resigned to express dissatisfaction with the Kosovo Government’s decision to re-register illegal Serbian cars under the Republic of Kosovo.

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