Three workers sustained light injuries in a strong explosion that rocked an ammunition plant's facilities in the Serbian town of Cacak on Saturday evening, state RTS television reported. 
 
Police blocked access to the factory and ambulances and fire fighters were seen nearby, a reporter at the site said, adding there was a smell of explosives in the air but no fire could be seen. 
 
The mayor of Cacak ordered the evacuation of people living near the factory, RTS reported. The three injured workers were hospitalised. 
 
"There was a huge blast, and the house shook under us and then we saw a huge mushroom cloud," said a man, who lives near the factory and identified himself as Milorad, 60. He said he did not want to evacuate. 
 
The investigation was under way, the authorities said. 
 
This is the second explosion this month at the Sloboda plant, which produces home appliances as well as artillery ammunition, propellants and explosives. No one was hurt in the previous blast, which occurred at the plant's warehouse. 
 
A similar blast in 2003 killed three Sloboda workers, while one in 2010 also caused no casualties. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Three workers sustained light injuries in a strong explosion that rocked an ammunition plant's facilities in the Serbian town of Cacak on Saturday evening, state RTS television reported.

Three workers sustained light injuries in a strong explosion that rocked an ammunition plant's facilities in the Serbian town of Cacak on Saturday evening, state RTS television reported. Police blocked access to the factory and ambulances and fire fighters were seen nearby, a reporter at the site said, adding there was a smell of explosives in the air but no fire could be seen. The mayor of Cacak ordered the evacuation of people living near the factory, RTS reported. The three injured workers were hospitalised. "There was a huge blast, and the house shook under us and then we saw a huge mushroom cloud," said a man, who lives near the factory and identified himself as Milorad, 60. He said he did not want to evacuate. The investigation was under way, the authorities said. This is the second explosion this month at the Sloboda plant, which produces home appliances as well as artillery ammunition, propellants and explosives. No one was hurt in the previous blast, which occurred at the plant's warehouse. A similar blast in 2003 killed three Sloboda workers, while one in 2010 also caused no casualties. (With inputs from agencies)

Three injured in explosion at Serbian ammunition plant

Retired but hooful: Serbia's horses get a stable home after injuries

The well in the retired couple’s yard, their only source of clean water, began to dry up two years ago. Last year, dead fish started washing up on the banks of the river that runs by their home in a bucolic village in southeastern Serbia.

But most disturbing of all for Verica Zivkovic and her husband, Miroslav, are the ever-widening cracks in the walls of the house they built after moving to the countryside more than a decade ago to raise goats.

“We came here for the peace and quiet,” said Zivkovic, 62, but that all changed when a Chinese company arrived.

In 2018, the company, Zijin Mining Group, took control of a money-losing copper smelter in the nearby city of Bor and began blasting away in the nearby hills in search of copper and gold.

While the couple and many other locals bemoan the arrival of the miners, the Serbian government has enthusiastically welcomed Chinese companies like Zijin, despite their record of flouting environmental rules. Many of the companies bring in workers from China rather than hiring Serbs, and critics say some are helping Serbia’s government roll back democratic freedoms.

When Zijin purchased the previously state-owned smelter, after a different Chinese company bought an ailing steel plant near the capital, Belgrade, Serbia’s president, Alexander Vucic, hailed Chinese investors as his country’s saviors.

Chinese money had kept afloat two of Serbia’s biggest but badly listing manufacturing enterprises, saving more than 10,000 jobs and fortifying what the two countries describe as their “friendship of steel.”

For others, however, this friendship highlights the peril of transferring to Europe an approach to investment and its impact on locals that Chinese companies have employed in poorer regions of the world.

“China is operating in Serbia the same way it did in Africa — it has the same strategy,” said Dragan Djilas, a businessman and former Belgrade mayor who now leads Serbia’s biggest opposition party.

The linchpin of that strategy around the world has been to establish close relations with a local strongman — in Serbia’s case, Vucic, democratically elected but increasingly authoritarian in his ways.

Vucic has become perhaps China’s biggest cheerleader in Europe. He has brushed aside complaints about its business practices and declared China, which has not only invested hundreds of millions of dollars but also provided millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines, to be “the only ones who can help us.”

China’s leader, Xi Jinping, is “not only a dear friend but a brother,” Vucic said last year.

The love-in between the elected leader of Serbia, which aspires to join the European Union and claims to share its democratic values, and Xi, leader of one of the world’s most repressive countries, has dismayed Serbians who want to join Europe, not tilt eastward.

By offering big loans, vaccines and investment free of the constraints that would be imposed by the European bloc, China has helped Vucic deliver on promises to develop Serbia’s economy.

But, said Marinika Tepic, a prominent opposition politician, it is also helping “to build a police state.”

That exaggerates Vucic’s grip, but U.S.-based pro-democracy group Freedom House downgraded Serbia in 2019 from “free” to “partly free,” citing a tightening grip on politics, civil liberties and the media.

In January, 26 members of the European Parliament demanded a review of the “growing impact of China’s economic footprint in Serbia,” including “reckless projects with potentially devastating multiple impacts on the wider environment as well as surrounding population.”

Pollution from the Bor plant skyrocketed to many times the legally permitted level in 2019 and 2020, setting off a series of street protests and prompting Zijin Mining’s general manager in Serbia to tell his managers in October that he was “very dissatisfied” with the “frightening” level of pollution, according to leaked minutes of the meeting.

He blamed the bad publicity, which he said had damaged “the government of the People’s Republic of China,” on “people who are in favour of the West and receive support” who “have stood in opposition to our work.”

Bor’s mayor, Aleksandar Milikic, a Vucic loyalist, initially dismissed the protests as the work of political agitators.

But, apparently worried about losing votes, he announced last year that he would file a court case against Zijin for negligence. It is not clear whether he actually did so. The mayor declined to be interviewed, and Zijin Mining did not respond to requests for comment.

Milenko Jovanovic, an air pollution expert, said he was fired in November from Serbia’s Environmental Protection Agency after raising concerns about dangerously high levels of sulfur dioxide and arsenic in the air around Bor.

The government, he said, rejected anything that might upset China and its investors.

“It lets them do whatever they want to do,” he said.

A court in Belgrade ruled this month that Jovanovic had been unfairly dismissed and ordered that he be given his job back.

Activists concede that air pollution levels in Bor have fallen since protests but say that the main danger has now shifted to towns and villages to the south, where hundreds of Chinese workers brought in by Zijin are developing one of the world’s biggest unexploited copper deposits, and digging for gold.

The earth around the new mine trembles from blasting work, and the heavy trucks, driven by Chinese workers, rumble along roads adorned with China’s red national flag. Rivers and streams are discoloured by effluent.

The government has added to public anger by issuing expropriation orders so that Zijin can build access roads and expand its mine. Dragan Viacic, a farmer, said he had received a letter from Serbia’s finance ministry informing him that he must sell 13 acres of his land at a fraction of the market price.

“They said this was necessary in the public interest, but in reality this is just the interest of the Chinese,” he said.

In Metovnica, a village near the mine, Zivkovic and his wife used to have 25 goats but, with no clean water on hand after their well dried up, they now keep just one.

“Why don’t we have any water anymore? Why are there no fish in the river?” The answer, he said, is Zijin Mining Group.

Pointing to fissures radiating across the wall of his house that appeared last year after Chinese miners started using explosives, Zivkovic said, “It was a tiny crack at first, but then it spread.”

The well in the retired couple’s yard, their only source of clean water, began to dry up two years ago. Last year, dead fish started washing up on the banks of the river that runs by their home in a bucolic village in southeastern Serbia.

The well in the retired couple’s yard, their only source of clean water, began to dry up two years ago. Last year, dead fish started washing up on the banks of the river that runs by their home in a bucolic village in southeastern Serbia. But most disturbing of all for Verica Zivkovic and her husband, Miroslav, are the ever-widening cracks in the walls of the house they built after moving to the countryside more than a decade ago to raise goats. “We came here for the peace and quiet,” said Zivkovic, 62, but that all changed when a Chinese company arrived. In 2018, the company, Zijin Mining Group, took control of a money-losing copper smelter in the nearby city of Bor and began blasting away in the nearby hills in search of copper and gold. While the couple and many other locals bemoan the arrival of the miners, the Serbian government has enthusiastically welcomed Chinese companies like Zijin, despite their record of flouting environmental rules. Many of the companies bring in workers from China rather than hiring Serbs, and critics say some are helping Serbia’s government roll back democratic freedoms. When Zijin purchased the previously state-owned smelter, after a different Chinese company bought an ailing steel plant near the capital, Belgrade, Serbia’s president, Alexander Vucic, hailed Chinese investors as his country’s saviors. Chinese money had kept afloat two of Serbia’s biggest but badly listing manufacturing enterprises, saving more than 10,000 jobs and fortifying what the two countries describe as their “friendship of steel.” For others, however, this friendship highlights the peril of transferring to Europe an approach to investment and its impact on locals that Chinese companies have employed in poorer regions of the world. “China is operating in Serbia the same way it did in Africa — it has the same strategy,” said Dragan Djilas, a businessman and former Belgrade mayor who now leads Serbia’s biggest opposition party. The linchpin of that strategy around the world has been to establish close relations with a local strongman — in Serbia’s case, Vucic, democratically elected but increasingly authoritarian in his ways. Vucic has become perhaps China’s biggest cheerleader in Europe. He has brushed aside complaints about its business practices and declared China, which has not only invested hundreds of millions of dollars but also provided millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines, to be “the only ones who can help us.” China’s leader, Xi Jinping, is “not only a dear friend but a brother,” Vucic said last year. The love-in between the elected leader of Serbia, which aspires to join the European Union and claims to share its democratic values, and Xi, leader of one of the world’s most repressive countries, has dismayed Serbians who want to join Europe, not tilt eastward. By offering big loans, vaccines and investment free of the constraints that would be imposed by the European bloc, China has helped Vucic deliver on promises to develop Serbia’s economy. But, said Marinika Tepic, a prominent opposition politician, it is also helping “to build a police state.” That exaggerates Vucic’s grip, but U.S.-based pro-democracy group Freedom House downgraded Serbia in 2019 from “free” to “partly free,” citing a tightening grip on politics, civil liberties and the media. In January, 26 members of the European Parliament demanded a review of the “growing impact of China’s economic footprint in Serbia,” including “reckless projects with potentially devastating multiple impacts on the wider environment as well as surrounding population.” Pollution from the Bor plant skyrocketed to many times the legally permitted level in 2019 and 2020, setting off a series of street protests and prompting Zijin Mining’s general manager in Serbia to tell his managers in October that he was “very dissatisfied” with the “frightening” level of pollution, according to leaked minutes of the meeting. He blamed the bad publicity, which he said had damaged “the government of the People’s Republic of China,” on “people who are in favour of the West and receive support” who “have stood in opposition to our work.” Bor’s mayor, Aleksandar Milikic, a Vucic loyalist, initially dismissed the protests as the work of political agitators. But, apparently worried about losing votes, he announced last year that he would file a court case against Zijin for negligence. It is not clear whether he actually did so. The mayor declined to be interviewed, and Zijin Mining did not respond to requests for comment. Milenko Jovanovic, an air pollution expert, said he was fired in November from Serbia’s Environmental Protection Agency after raising concerns about dangerously high levels of sulfur dioxide and arsenic in the air around Bor. The government, he said, rejected anything that might upset China and its investors. “It lets them do whatever they want to do,” he said. A court in Belgrade ruled this month that Jovanovic had been unfairly dismissed and ordered that he be given his job back. Activists concede that air pollution levels in Bor have fallen since protests but say that the main danger has now shifted to towns and villages to the south, where hundreds of Chinese workers brought in by Zijin are developing one of the world’s biggest unexploited copper deposits, and digging for gold. The earth around the new mine trembles from blasting work, and the heavy trucks, driven by Chinese workers, rumble along roads adorned with China’s red national flag. Rivers and streams are discoloured by effluent. The government has added to public anger by issuing expropriation orders so that Zijin can build access roads and expand its mine. Dragan Viacic, a farmer, said he had received a letter from Serbia’s finance ministry informing him that he must sell 13 acres of his land at a fraction of the market price. “They said this was necessary in the public interest, but in reality this is just the interest of the Chinese,” he said. In Metovnica, a village near the mine, Zivkovic and his wife used to have 25 goats but, with no clean water on hand after their well dried up, they now keep just one. “Why don’t we have any water anymore? Why are there no fish in the river?” The answer, he said, is Zijin Mining Group. Pointing to fissures radiating across the wall of his house that appeared last year after Chinese miners started using explosives, Zivkovic said, “It was a tiny crack at first, but then it spread.”

Serbia hails Chinese companies as saviours, but locals chafe at costs

Kosovars began voting on Sunday in a parliamentary election that an anti-establishment party is expected to win, further complicating Western efforts to resolve the country`s decades-long territorial dispute with Serbia.

Opinion polls suggest the Vetevendosje party will win 45% to 55% of the vote among ethnic Albanians, who make up 90% of Kosovo`s 1.9 million population. While that would be nearly double its result in a 2019 election, the party may still need a partner to govern.

Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti, who served as prime minister for five months last year, has won support on pledges to fight widespread corruption and on a stance that there should be no compromise in a dialogue with Serbia, which lost control over Kosovo in 1999 after NATO bombed its forces.

"Kosovo as an independent state, this Sunday, is returning to its people as the source of sovereignty," Kurti told reporters after casting his ballot. "We should vote with love for the country"

The state election commission said turnout by 11 a.m. (1000 GMT) was 8.3%, one percentage point lower than in the last election in 2019, mainly due to freezing temperatures.

If Vetevendosje does not secure a majority of 61 seats it may have to join forces with either the now-ruling Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), or the opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) or Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK).

"There are a lot of challenges ahead of us, we have the issue with Serbia, the pandemic situation and strengthening the state," Ramush Haradinaj, whose AAK is seen as a potential kingmaker, said after casting his ballot.

Serbia, backed by Russia, does not recognise Kosovo`s independence, citing the need to protect the rights of its Serb minority. Negotiators from the European Union and the United States have failed to secure a compromise to allow

Kosovo to join international bodies such as the United Nations and NATO.

With one third of its workforce unemployed and a gross domestic product per capita of $4,300, Kosovo remains the poorest country in the Western Balkan region. 
"People want jobs, we want to get rid of corruption," said Luljeta Emini after she cast her ballot in Pristina. 
Polling stations will close at 7 p.m. (1800 GMT), and the first official results are expected a few hours later.

Kosovars began voting on Sunday in a parliamentary election that an anti-establishment party is expected to win, further complicating Western efforts to resolve the country`s decades-long territorial dispute with Serbia.

Kosovars began voting on Sunday in a parliamentary election that an anti-establishment party is expected to win, further complicating Western efforts to resolve the country`s decades-long territorial dispute with Serbia. Opinion polls suggest the Vetevendosje party will win 45% to 55% of the vote among ethnic Albanians, who make up 90% of Kosovo`s 1.9 million population. While that would be nearly double its result in a 2019 election, the party may still need a partner to govern. Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti, who served as prime minister for five months last year, has won support on pledges to fight widespread corruption and on a stance that there should be no compromise in a dialogue with Serbia, which lost control over Kosovo in 1999 after NATO bombed its forces. "Kosovo as an independent state, this Sunday, is returning to its people as the source of sovereignty," Kurti told reporters after casting his ballot. "We should vote with love for the country" The state election commission said turnout by 11 a.m. (1000 GMT) was 8.3%, one percentage point lower than in the last election in 2019, mainly due to freezing temperatures. If Vetevendosje does not secure a majority of 61 seats it may have to join forces with either the now-ruling Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), or the opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) or Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK). "There are a lot of challenges ahead of us, we have the issue with Serbia, the pandemic situation and strengthening the state," Ramush Haradinaj, whose AAK is seen as a potential kingmaker, said after casting his ballot. Serbia, backed by Russia, does not recognise Kosovo`s independence, citing the need to protect the rights of its Serb minority. Negotiators from the European Union and the United States have failed to secure a compromise to allow Kosovo to join international bodies such as the United Nations and NATO. With one third of its workforce unemployed and a gross domestic product per capita of $4,300, Kosovo remains the poorest country in the Western Balkan region. "People want jobs, we want to get rid of corruption," said Luljeta Emini after she cast her ballot in Pristina. Polling stations will close at 7 p.m. (1800 GMT), and the first official results are expected a few hours later.

Kosovo votes in election that could complicate dialogue with Serbia

Alexander Zverev shrugged off a tight loss to Novak Djokovic to end Serbia`s ATP Cup title defence with victory in the doubles as Germany advanced to the semi-finals of the team-based event in Melbourne on Friday. 
 
Germany will meet Russia in the last four, with Spain to take on Italy. 
 
Zverev, beaten 6-7(3) 6-2 7-5 in a high-quality match by world number one Djokovic earlier on Friday, stepped up to partner Jan-Lennard Struff to a rousing 7-6(4) 5-7 (10-7) victory over Djokovic and Nikola Cacic on Rod Laver Arena. 
 
"I was quite frustrated with how the singles ended in a way," Zverev said on court. "Still got to give myself some time. 
 
"We played well, both of us," he added of his doubles match with Struff, who beat Dusan Lajovic 3-6 6-3 6-4 in the opening singles rubber. 
 
Djokovic`s 11-match winning streak in the team tournament was broken, and he will have no more match practice before his Australian Open title defence. 
 
"I am upset that we lost, that`s all I can say, I`m not thinking about the Australian Open or anything else," said Djokovic. 
 
"It’s unfortunate we lost the tie. That`s what this competition is all about. It`s about the team, not about winning one match, (a) singles match. We`ll try another time." 
 
A year after crashing out of the inaugural ATP Cup with a huge tally of double-faults, Zverev`s serving demons returned under pressure against Djokovic in the singles and again in the doubles on Friday. 
 
He was broken at 5-5 in the second set of the doubles after two double-faults but nailed his serves when Germany grabbed match points in the super tiebreak. 
 
Djokovic consoled himself that he had an excellent warmup against Zverev in the singles. 
 
"I thought it was a great match. I thought we both played well ... He definitely had a big serving match. It was so difficult to play against him today," he said. 
 
With Rafa Nadal still sidelined with a back problem, Pablo Carrena Busta guided a depleted Spain into the last four by claiming a 6-3 6-4 win against Greece`s Michail Pervolarakis at John Cain Arena. 
 
Though eliminated, Greece ended up winning the tie 2-1, with Stefanos Tsitsipas easing past Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5 7-5. 
 
Spain retired after losing the opening game of the doubles, handing Greece the win. 
 
In a dead rubber between Austria and France in the evening, world number three Dominic Thiem`s hopes of getting some match practice were cut short when his French opponent, Benoit Paire, retired while trailing 6-1. 
&nbsp;

Alexander Zverev shrugged off a tight loss to Novak Djokovic to end Serbia`s ATP Cup title defence with victory in the doubles as Germany advanced to the semi-finals of the team-based event in Melbourne on Friday.

Alexander Zverev shrugged off a tight loss to Novak Djokovic to end Serbia`s ATP Cup title defence with victory in the doubles as Germany advanced to the semi-finals of the team-based event in Melbourne on Friday. Germany will meet Russia in the last four, with Spain to take on Italy. Zverev, beaten 6-7(3) 6-2 7-5 in a high-quality match by world number one Djokovic earlier on Friday, stepped up to partner Jan-Lennard Struff to a rousing 7-6(4) 5-7 (10-7) victory over Djokovic and Nikola Cacic on Rod Laver Arena. "I was quite frustrated with how the singles ended in a way," Zverev said on court. "Still got to give myself some time. "We played well, both of us," he added of his doubles match with Struff, who beat Dusan Lajovic 3-6 6-3 6-4 in the opening singles rubber. Djokovic`s 11-match winning streak in the team tournament was broken, and he will have no more match practice before his Australian Open title defence. "I am upset that we lost, that`s all I can say, I`m not thinking about the Australian Open or anything else," said Djokovic. "It’s unfortunate we lost the tie. That`s what this competition is all about. It`s about the team, not about winning one match, (a) singles match. We`ll try another time." A year after crashing out of the inaugural ATP Cup with a huge tally of double-faults, Zverev`s serving demons returned under pressure against Djokovic in the singles and again in the doubles on Friday. He was broken at 5-5 in the second set of the doubles after two double-faults but nailed his serves when Germany grabbed match points in the super tiebreak. Djokovic consoled himself that he had an excellent warmup against Zverev in the singles. "I thought it was a great match. I thought we both played well ... He definitely had a big serving match. It was so difficult to play against him today," he said. With Rafa Nadal still sidelined with a back problem, Pablo Carrena Busta guided a depleted Spain into the last four by claiming a 6-3 6-4 win against Greece`s Michail Pervolarakis at John Cain Arena. Though eliminated, Greece ended up winning the tie 2-1, with Stefanos Tsitsipas easing past Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5 7-5. Spain retired after losing the opening game of the doubles, handing Greece the win. In a dead rubber between Austria and France in the evening, world number three Dominic Thiem`s hopes of getting some match practice were cut short when his French opponent, Benoit Paire, retired while trailing 6-1.

Germany end Serbia's ATP Cup defence to reach semis

Six people were rescued from the rubble with the help of dogs, Croatia's Mountain Rescue Service said.

Stong 6.4 magnitude earthquake hits central Croatia; Shockwaves felt in Serbia, Bosnia

Serbia parents are increasingly turning to SMS based fund raising campaign, to finance some expensive medical treatment for the infants. WION tells you why are parents doing so, even though Serbia claims that medicinal costs are pretty much free in their country.

Serbs take to their phones to raise funds to help infants

Serbian ace Novak Djokovic is hopeful that fans will be allowed to enter the arenas for next year's Australia Open that is scheduled to be held in January. Spectators are still barred from most stadiums amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/novak-djokovic-reaches-atp-finals-semis-rafael-nadal-showdown-still-on-344422" hreflang="en">Novak Djokovic reaches ATP Finals semis, Rafael Nadal showdown still on</a>

Majority of tennis events, held after COVID-19 stoppage, have been played in empty stadiums, with a select few allowing fans in few numbers to attend with social distancing protocols in place to curb the spread of the virus.

"If Australia happens, I'm hearing that we are going to have at least 50 per cent of the capacity of the stadium. That's a lot, I think even 10 per cent would be huge for us at this stage," Djokovic said after moving into the semis of the ATP Finals in London.

"Just hearing the applause and hearing the fans and sensing their energy and their emotion and their kind of excitement for being there and cheering you on on the court, that's something that I think we're all missing."

Defending champion and world no. one Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open for a record eight times. He said he hoped the feeling of "walking into an empty stadium" would be temporary but was glad they were able to resume the season this year despite the pandemic.

"Strange is probably the right word to describe the season, but nevertheless I still feel like we played a lot of tournaments considering we had a six-months gap in the middle of the season," he added.

"We still managed to play three out of four Grand Slams and the ATP Finals and some big Masters 1000 events like Cincinnati and Rome."

Serbian ace Novak Djokovic is hopeful that fans will be allowed to enter the arenas for next year's Australia Open that is scheduled to be held in January. Spectators are still barred from most stadiums amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Serbian ace Novak Djokovic is hopeful that fans will be allowed to enter the arenas for next year's Australia Open that is scheduled to be held in January. Spectators are still barred from most stadiums amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Also read: Novak Djokovic reaches ATP Finals semis, Rafael Nadal showdown still on Majority of tennis events, held after COVID-19 stoppage, have been played in empty stadiums, with a select few allowing fans in few numbers to attend with social distancing protocols in place to curb the spread of the virus. "If Australia happens, I'm hearing that we are going to have at least 50 per cent of the capacity of the stadium. That's a lot, I think even 10 per cent would be huge for us at this stage," Djokovic said after moving into the semis of the ATP Finals in London. "Just hearing the applause and hearing the fans and sensing their energy and their emotion and their kind of excitement for being there and cheering you on on the court, that's something that I think we're all missing." Defending champion and world no. one Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open for a record eight times. He said he hoped the feeling of "walking into an empty stadium" would be temporary but was glad they were able to resume the season this year despite the pandemic. "Strange is probably the right word to describe the season, but nevertheless I still feel like we played a lot of tournaments considering we had a six-months gap in the middle of the season," he added. "We still managed to play three out of four Grand Slams and the ATP Finals and some big Masters 1000 events like Cincinnati and Rome."

Australian Open crowds at 10 per cent capacity would be a boon, says  Novak Djokovic

The&nbsp;US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> said during a campaign rally in North Carolina that he could qualify for the Nobel Peace Prize, for which he, in fact, was nominated this year, for brokering a termination of decades-long "mass killings" between Serbia and Kosovo.

"Next story I`m sure it`s a Nobel Prize for peace. We are stopping mass killings between Kosovo and Serbia. They have been killing each other for so many [years]. They are going to stop killing. I said `fellas, let`s get together.` You know, they`ve been doing it for hundreds of years frankly under different names," Trump said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-to-nominate-a-woman-to-replace-ginsburg-stating-he-likes-women-more-328748">Also read:&nbsp;Trump to nominate a woman to replace Ginsburg stating he likes 'women more'</a>

Trump was nominated for Nobel earlier this month by a Norwegian lawmaker for his efforts brokering a landmark peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. A similar agreement was signed shortly later between Israel and Bahrain under Washington`s mediation.

In mid-September, Trump hosted talks between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti, but no particular breakthrough was achieved to resolve their strife.

Formerly a province of Serbia, Kosovo shook to an armed confrontation between Serbian security forces and the Albanian-led Kosovo Liberation Army, seeking the status of a constituent republic for Kosovo in what was then Yugoslavia. The conflict triggered unauthorized NATO airstrikes in the region from March 1999 to June 1999 on the grounds that the Yugoslav authorities were allegedly committing ethnic cleansing against Kosovar Albanians.

Kosovo unilaterally proclaimed independence from Serbia in February 2008 and has since been seeking to gain recognition. Serbia has not recognised Kosovo`s independence and launched a campaign to convince other countries to not recognise it either.&nbsp;

The US President Donald Trump said during a campaign rally in North Carolina that he could qualify for the Nobel Peace Prize, for which he, in fact, was nominated this year, for brokering a termination of decades-long "mass killings" between Serbia and Kosovo.

The US President Donald Trump said during a campaign rally in North Carolina that he could qualify for the Nobel Peace Prize, for which he, in fact, was nominated this year, for brokering a termination of decades-long "mass killings" between Serbia and Kosovo. "Next story I`m sure it`s a Nobel Prize for peace. We are stopping mass killings between Kosovo and Serbia. They have been killing each other for so many [years]. They are going to stop killing. I said `fellas, let`s get together.` You know, they`ve been doing it for hundreds of years frankly under different names," Trump said. Also read: Trump to nominate a woman to replace Ginsburg stating he likes 'women more' Trump was nominated for Nobel earlier this month by a Norwegian lawmaker for his efforts brokering a landmark peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. A similar agreement was signed shortly later between Israel and Bahrain under Washington`s mediation. In mid-September, Trump hosted talks between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti, but no particular breakthrough was achieved to resolve their strife. Formerly a province of Serbia, Kosovo shook to an armed confrontation between Serbian security forces and the Albanian-led Kosovo Liberation Army, seeking the status of a constituent republic for Kosovo in what was then Yugoslavia. The conflict triggered unauthorized NATO airstrikes in the region from March 1999 to June 1999 on the grounds that the Yugoslav authorities were allegedly committing ethnic cleansing against Kosovar Albanians. Kosovo unilaterally proclaimed independence from Serbia in February 2008 and has since been seeking to gain recognition. Serbia has not recognised Kosovo`s independence and launched a campaign to convince other countries to not recognise it either.

Trump claims stopped ''mass killings'' between Serbia, Kosovo

A rare spat between traditional allies Moscow and Belgrade was triggered apparently by the Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman ridiculing Serbia's president after he signed a US-sponsored agreement between his nation and Kosovo.

Maria Zakharova posted a photo showing Vucic sitting across US President Donald Trump at his Oval Office table.

She posted that along with another photo, the scene from thriller "Basic Instinct" showing Sharon Stone being questioned by police as she sits cross-legged in a chair.

Zakkharova mocked Vucic in a comment on the Facebook post, saying that he was invited to the White House to be interrogated.

This did not go down well with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and other officials.

"The primitivism and vulgarity she showed speaks about herself, but also about those who have given her the job," Vucic told the pro-government Pink TV.

Marko Djuric, an official with Vucic's ruling party, defended him on Twitter. "This president did not say a single bad word against Russia, not even in that place (the White House.) The president waited for an hour and half to be received by the Russian president and never asked for a special chair. I will not allow you to attack proud Serbia. Shame on you!" Djuric wrote.

Zakharova apologised on Twitter later Sunday, saying her post had been misinterpreted.

Trump announced Friday that former wartime foes Serbia and Kosovo had agreed to normalise economic ties as part of US-brokered talks that include Belgrade moving its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem, and mutual recognition between Israel and Kosovo.

The announcement provided Trump with a diplomatic win ahead of the November presidential election and furthers his administration's push to improve Israel's international standing.

A rare spat between traditional allies Moscow and Belgrade was triggered apparently by the Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman ridiculing Serbia's president after he signed a US-sponsored agreement between his nation and Kosovo.

A rare spat between traditional allies Moscow and Belgrade was triggered apparently by the Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman ridiculing Serbia's president after he signed a US-sponsored agreement between his nation and Kosovo. Maria Zakharova posted a photo showing Vucic sitting across US President Donald Trump at his Oval Office table. She posted that along with another photo, the scene from thriller "Basic Instinct" showing Sharon Stone being questioned by police as she sits cross-legged in a chair. Zakkharova mocked Vucic in a comment on the Facebook post, saying that he was invited to the White House to be interrogated. This did not go down well with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and other officials. "The primitivism and vulgarity she showed speaks about herself, but also about those who have given her the job," Vucic told the pro-government Pink TV. Marko Djuric, an official with Vucic's ruling party, defended him on Twitter. "This president did not say a single bad word against Russia, not even in that place (the White House.) The president waited for an hour and half to be received by the Russian president and never asked for a special chair. I will not allow you to attack proud Serbia. Shame on you!" Djuric wrote. Zakharova apologised on Twitter later Sunday, saying her post had been misinterpreted. Trump announced Friday that former wartime foes Serbia and Kosovo had agreed to normalise economic ties as part of US-brokered talks that include Belgrade moving its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem, and mutual recognition between Israel and Kosovo. The announcement provided Trump with a diplomatic win ahead of the November presidential election and furthers his administration's push to improve Israel's international standing.

Spat ensues between Serbia and Russia after US-brokered deal

Trump said that he looks forward to seeing Serbia and Kosovo prosper as "we work together on economic cooperation in the region going forward."

Video: Trump announces historic accord between former foes Serbia, Kosovo

Former foes Kosovo and Serbia have agreed on a historic pact to normalise economic relations, US President Donald Trump announced Friday at the White House.

"Today, I am pleased to announce yet another historic commitment.&nbsp;Serbia and Kosovo have each committed to economic normalisation," Trump said, with Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic sitting beside him in the Oval Office.

He was accompanied by President Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia and Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti of Kosovo.

Moments later, the two leaders along with the President Trump signed the agreements.

Trump said that he looks forward to seeing Serbia and Kosovo prosper as "we work together on economic cooperation in the region going forward."

Although most of Kosovo is ethnically Albanian, many Serbs consider it their native homeland and a cradle of their culture. Some 13,000 people were killed in the 1998-1999 war, sparked by clashes between the forces of the rump Yugoslav state - Serbia and Montenegro - and Kosovo separatists. The conflict ended when NATO carried out an air campaign against Serbia.

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in 2008, but Serbia and its ally Russia have yet to recognise its sovereignty.

"After a violent and tragic history and years of failed negotiations, my administration proposed a new way of bridging the divide. By focusing on job creation and economic growth, the two countries were able to reach a real breakthrough on economic cooperation across a broad range of issues," Trump said.

The agreement is expected to be limited to the normalisation of some economic ties, including possibly opening up road, rail and air links between the former Balkan war foes.

Although the European Union has been trying without success for nearly a decade to thaw a bitter relationship between Serbia and its former territory, which declared independence in 2008, an effort focused on business and commerce was launched more recently by US officials.

But Serbia made clear during the talks that they would not go as far as recognizing Kosovo as a fully-fledged state.

During the signing ceremony, President Vucic said that Trump had done a "great job" and praised his commitment to the region.

Inviting him to Serbia, he said that Trump would be the first US President since Jimmy Carter visited the country in 1980.

Prime Minister Hoti termed it as a huge step forward.

Terming it as a historic day, National Security Advisor Robert O'Brian said the focus is on economic cooperation.

Vice President Mike Pence said that this is an important step for peace in the Balkans. 
Senator Ron Johnson from Wisconsin said that people from the two countries would see the benefit of economic agreement.

The two countries remain bitter over a bloody war fought two decades ago, in which 13,000 died.

(with inputs from agencies)

Former foes Kosovo and Serbia have agreed on a historic pact to normalise economic relations, US President Donald Trump announced Friday at the White House. "Today, I am pleased to announce yet another historic commitment.

Former foes Kosovo and Serbia have agreed on a historic pact to normalise economic relations, US President Donald Trump announced Friday at the White House. "Today, I am pleased to announce yet another historic commitment. Serbia and Kosovo have each committed to economic normalisation," Trump said, with Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic sitting beside him in the Oval Office. He was accompanied by President Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia and Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti of Kosovo. Moments later, the two leaders along with the President Trump signed the agreements. Trump said that he looks forward to seeing Serbia and Kosovo prosper as "we work together on economic cooperation in the region going forward." Although most of Kosovo is ethnically Albanian, many Serbs consider it their native homeland and a cradle of their culture. Some 13,000 people were killed in the 1998-1999 war, sparked by clashes between the forces of the rump Yugoslav state - Serbia and Montenegro - and Kosovo separatists. The conflict ended when NATO carried out an air campaign against Serbia. Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in 2008, but Serbia and its ally Russia have yet to recognise its sovereignty. "After a violent and tragic history and years of failed negotiations, my administration proposed a new way of bridging the divide. By focusing on job creation and economic growth, the two countries were able to reach a real breakthrough on economic cooperation across a broad range of issues," Trump said. The agreement is expected to be limited to the normalisation of some economic ties, including possibly opening up road, rail and air links between the former Balkan war foes. Although the European Union has been trying without success for nearly a decade to thaw a bitter relationship between Serbia and its former territory, which declared independence in 2008, an effort focused on business and commerce was launched more recently by US officials. But Serbia made clear during the talks that they would not go as far as recognizing Kosovo as a fully-fledged state. During the signing ceremony, President Vucic said that Trump had done a "great job" and praised his commitment to the region. Inviting him to Serbia, he said that Trump would be the first US President since Jimmy Carter visited the country in 1980. Prime Minister Hoti termed it as a huge step forward. Terming it as a historic day, National Security Advisor Robert O'Brian said the focus is on economic cooperation. Vice President Mike Pence said that this is an important step for peace in the Balkans. Senator Ron Johnson from Wisconsin said that people from the two countries would see the benefit of economic agreement. The two countries remain bitter over a bloody war fought two decades ago, in which 13,000 died. (with inputs from agencies)

Trump announces historic accord between former foes Serbia, Kosovo

Serbia has bought a new generation of medium-range, radar-guided surface-to-air&nbsp;missiles from China in a new sign of deepening cooperation between Beijing and Belgrade.

The&nbsp;purchase&nbsp;of the FK-3&nbsp;missile&nbsp;defence&nbsp;system&nbsp;was included in state-run arms company Jugoimport SDPR's annual report, submitted to the state Business Registers Agency last week and seen by Reuters.

Jugoimport SDPR said it made 163 import deals with 31 countries for $620.3 million in 2019. The weapons&nbsp;purchases included armed drones from China and Europe's first known&nbsp;purchase&nbsp;of the FK-3.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/landslide-win-for-serbias-ruling-party-in-boycott-tainted-vote-307546" hreflang="en">Landslide win for Serbia's ruling party in boycott-tainted vote</a>

"The biggest part of imports is related to the modernisation of MIG-29 planes, the procurement of drone&nbsp;systems, ... (and) air-defence&nbsp;system&nbsp;FK-3," it said.&nbsp;

Beijing sees Serbia as part of its One Belt, One Road initiative, which is aimed at opening new foreign trade links for Chinese companies.&nbsp;

In 2018, the Jugoimport SDPR made 162 import deals with 32 countries, worth $482.7 million, including&nbsp;purchases of Russian-made helicopter gunships and transport helicopters.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/serbia-ruling-party-faces-split-opposition-in-post-virus-poll-307424" hreflang="en">Serbia ruling party faces split opposition in post-virus poll</a>

China has invested billions of euros in the Balkan country, mainly in soft loans, infrastructure and energy projects.&nbsp;

In late June, Serbia's air force received six CH-92A combat drones armed with laser-guided&nbsp;missiles, the first such deployment of Chinese unmanned aerial vehicles in Europe.

Serbia, which hopes to join the European Union, declared military neutrality in 2006 and joined NATO's Partnership for Peace program, though it does not seek full membership in the Western&nbsp;defence&nbsp;alliance.&nbsp;

Serbia's military is loosely based on former Soviet technology and in recent years Belgrade has procured MiG-29 fighter jets and&nbsp;missiles, helicopters, tanks and armoured personnel carriers from Russia.

Serbia has bought a new generation of medium-range, radar-guided surface-to-air missiles from China in a new sign of deepening cooperation between Beijing and Belgrade.

Serbia has bought a new generation of medium-range, radar-guided surface-to-air missiles from China in a new sign of deepening cooperation between Beijing and Belgrade. The purchase of the FK-3 missile defence system was included in state-run arms company Jugoimport SDPR's annual report, submitted to the state Business Registers Agency last week and seen by Reuters. Jugoimport SDPR said it made 163 import deals with 31 countries for $620.3 million in 2019. The weapons purchases included armed drones from China and Europe's first known purchase of the FK-3. Also read: Landslide win for Serbia's ruling party in boycott-tainted vote "The biggest part of imports is related to the modernisation of MIG-29 planes, the procurement of drone systems, ... (and) air-defence system FK-3," it said. Beijing sees Serbia as part of its One Belt, One Road initiative, which is aimed at opening new foreign trade links for Chinese companies. In 2018, the Jugoimport SDPR made 162 import deals with 32 countries, worth $482.7 million, including purchases of Russian-made helicopter gunships and transport helicopters. Also read: Serbia ruling party faces split opposition in post-virus poll China has invested billions of euros in the Balkan country, mainly in soft loans, infrastructure and energy projects. In late June, Serbia's air force received six CH-92A combat drones armed with laser-guided missiles, the first such deployment of Chinese unmanned aerial vehicles in Europe. Serbia, which hopes to join the European Union, declared military neutrality in 2006 and joined NATO's Partnership for Peace program, though it does not seek full membership in the Western defence alliance. Serbia's military is loosely based on former Soviet technology and in recent years Belgrade has procured MiG-29 fighter jets and missiles, helicopters, tanks and armoured personnel carriers from Russia.

Serbia's purchase of missile defence system from China shows deepening ties

Demonstrators storm Serbian parliament in protest over lockdown

Record-breaking Arctic heat leaves Siberia 'red-faced'

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic declared a landslide victory for his ruling party Sunday in a parliamentary election tarnished by a boycott from much of the opposition, who accuse the leader of burgeoning authoritarianism.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/campaign-manager-brad-parscale-feels-presidents-wrath-after-sparse-crowd-shows-up-for-trumps-tulsa-rally-307544" hreflang="en">Campaign manager Brad Parscale feels president's wrath after sparse crowd shows up for Trump's Tulsa rally</a>

With some 63 percent of the vote, according to Vucic, the centre-right Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) was set to dramatically expand its dominance in the 250-member parliament.&nbsp;

While Vucic did not run for office himself, the 50-year-old tightly controls the party, which has been in power since 2012.&nbsp;

"I am grateful to the people for this historic support," he said with elation from the SNS headquarters where brass music blasted in celebration.&nbsp;

"We won everywhere," Vucic continued. "We won in the places where we had never won before."

The sweeping success was helped by a boycott from the country's main opposition camp,&nbsp;who decried the elections as neither free nor fair under Vucic's domineering reign.

But despite their stay-at-home campaign and lingering concerns about the coronavirus, turnout was lower than normal -- but not dramatically -- at slightly under 50 percent according to the independent election monitor CRTA.&nbsp;

The boycotting opposition slammed the "fake elections" and claimed their movement was victorious.

Either way the ruling party will have few rivals to contend with in the halls of parliament, where they are expected to hold around 189 seats.

In second place was their traditional junior coalition partner, the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), predicted to claim 32 seats, according to the IPSOS polling agency.

And next in line was the only opposition party to garner enough votes to pass the three percent threshold to enter parliament: the newly formed Serbian Patrotic Alliance (SPAS) with around a dozen seats.&nbsp;

A slate of ethnic minority parties with a lower bar to entry will also take some 17 spots, according to IPSOS.&nbsp;

Among those who didn't make the cut was the ultra-nationalist Serbian Radical Party, led by convicted war criminal Vojislav Seselj.

Without a meaningful opposition, the "pyrrhic&nbsp;victory" could ultimately discredit Serbia's ruling party as it will be viewed as "less legitimate than ever before", Balkans analyst Florian Bieber commented on Twitter.&nbsp;

But in the short term they will be more powerful than ever, capping Vucic's eight-year effort to consolidate control over the country's democracy, first as prime minister and now as president.&nbsp;

He came into this poll riding a fresh wave of popularity for keeping Serbia's coronavirus situation in check, with around 260 deaths in a country of seven million.

Although the post of president is meant to be ceremonial, he remains Serbia's top decision-maker and led the country through the health crisis.&nbsp;

Serbian analyst Dusan Spasojevic describes the Balkan state's elections as a form of "competitive autocracy".

"There is a competition but participants are not equal," he explained of a playing field warped by Vucic's outsized influence.

Watchdogs say Vucic's power lies in his manipulation of the media, with several outlets effectively serving as SNS propaganda machines.&nbsp;

The US-based Freedom House recently declared the country no longer a democracy but a "hybrid regime", due to "years of increasing state capture, abuse of power, and strongman tactics".

Yet the Serb leader can count on support from allies across the international stage.&nbsp;

In addition to close ties with Russia and China, he has backing from the West, where he is seen as capable of resolving Serbia's decades-long territorial dispute with former province Kosovo.

With elections behind him, the president will now face pressure to make progress on talks with Pristina that have been frozen for over a year.

He already has a busy schedule lined up: over the next week he will talk with the European Union's envoy for Serbia and Kosovo, visit Moscow and meet Kosovo representatives at the White House.&nbsp;

At the heart of the dispute is Belgrade's rejection of the independence that Kosovo, home to an ethnic Albanian majority, declared after a bloody 1990s war that was halted by a NATO intervention.

The issue is highly emotive for Serbian nationalists but it weighs especially heavily on the Serb minority still living in Kosovo.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic declared a landslide victory for his ruling party Sunday in a parliamentary election tarnished by a boycott from much of the opposition, who accuse the leader of burgeoning authoritarianism.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic declared a landslide victory for his ruling party Sunday in a parliamentary election tarnished by a boycott from much of the opposition, who accuse the leader of burgeoning authoritarianism. Also read: Campaign manager Brad Parscale feels president's wrath after sparse crowd shows up for Trump's Tulsa rally With some 63 percent of the vote, according to Vucic, the centre-right Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) was set to dramatically expand its dominance in the 250-member parliament. While Vucic did not run for office himself, the 50-year-old tightly controls the party, which has been in power since 2012. "I am grateful to the people for this historic support," he said with elation from the SNS headquarters where brass music blasted in celebration. "We won everywhere," Vucic continued. "We won in the places where we had never won before." The sweeping success was helped by a boycott from the country's main opposition camp, who decried the elections as neither free nor fair under Vucic's domineering reign. But despite their stay-at-home campaign and lingering concerns about the coronavirus, turnout was lower than normal -- but not dramatically -- at slightly under 50 percent according to the independent election monitor CRTA. The boycotting opposition slammed the "fake elections" and claimed their movement was victorious. Either way the ruling party will have few rivals to contend with in the halls of parliament, where they are expected to hold around 189 seats. In second place was their traditional junior coalition partner, the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), predicted to claim 32 seats, according to the IPSOS polling agency. And next in line was the only opposition party to garner enough votes to pass the three percent threshold to enter parliament: the newly formed Serbian Patrotic Alliance (SPAS) with around a dozen seats. A slate of ethnic minority parties with a lower bar to entry will also take some 17 spots, according to IPSOS. Among those who didn't make the cut was the ultra-nationalist Serbian Radical Party, led by convicted war criminal Vojislav Seselj. Without a meaningful opposition, the "pyrrhic victory" could ultimately discredit Serbia's ruling party as it will be viewed as "less legitimate than ever before", Balkans analyst Florian Bieber commented on Twitter. But in the short term they will be more powerful than ever, capping Vucic's eight-year effort to consolidate control over the country's democracy, first as prime minister and now as president. He came into this poll riding a fresh wave of popularity for keeping Serbia's coronavirus situation in check, with around 260 deaths in a country of seven million. Although the post of president is meant to be ceremonial, he remains Serbia's top decision-maker and led the country through the health crisis. Serbian analyst Dusan Spasojevic describes the Balkan state's elections as a form of "competitive autocracy". "There is a competition but participants are not equal," he explained of a playing field warped by Vucic's outsized influence. Watchdogs say Vucic's power lies in his manipulation of the media, with several outlets effectively serving as SNS propaganda machines. The US-based Freedom House recently declared the country no longer a democracy but a "hybrid regime", due to "years of increasing state capture, abuse of power, and strongman tactics". Yet the Serb leader can count on support from allies across the international stage. In addition to close ties with Russia and China, he has backing from the West, where he is seen as capable of resolving Serbia's decades-long territorial dispute with former province Kosovo. With elections behind him, the president will now face pressure to make progress on talks with Pristina that have been frozen for over a year. He already has a busy schedule lined up: over the next week he will talk with the European Union's envoy for Serbia and Kosovo, visit Moscow and meet Kosovo representatives at the White House. At the heart of the dispute is Belgrade's rejection of the independence that Kosovo, home to an ethnic Albanian majority, declared after a bloody 1990s war that was halted by a NATO intervention. The issue is highly emotive for Serbian nationalists but it weighs especially heavily on the Serb minority still living in Kosovo.

Landslide win for Serbia's ruling party in boycott-tainted vote

Serbians were voting Sunday for a new parliament in Europe's first national election since the coronavirus pandemic, though few expect major surprises with the ruling party poised to dominate a scattered opposition, some of whom are boycotting the ballot.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-brazil-nears-50000-deaths-experts-fear-real-number-to-be-much-higher-307409" hreflang="en">Coronavirus: Brazil nears 50,000 deaths; experts fear real number to be much higher</a>

In power since 2012, the centre-right Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) is led by the country's powerful president, Aleksandar Vucic, who critics accuse of budding authoritarianism. &nbsp;

The 50-year-old is not running for parliament himself but has fronted the campaign as the chief of his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) with the slogan: "Aleksandar Vucic - For Our Children".

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/six-members-of-trumps-campaign-team-test-positive-for-covid-19-307393" hreflang="en">Six members of Trump's campaign team test positive for COVID-19</a>

The party is tipped to garner more than 50 percent of the vote, according to recent polls, thanks to a weak opposition and recent successes in fighting the coronavirus outbreak.

Several of the main opposition groups are boycotting the vote altogether, decrying democratic backsliding under Vucic's domineering governance.

A slate of other small opposition parties are still in the race, but only a handful are expected to clear the three-percent threshold to enter parliament.

The biggest unknown in the election may be turnout, due to lingering fears over the virus and the boycott campaign.

In Belgrade, around 20 voters wearing face masks lined up at a polling station as soon as voting started at 0500 GMT.

Jelena Djikanovic, a 39-year-old economist, said she was eager for change but not sympathetic to the boycott campaign.&nbsp;

"Boycotting is not productive when the country is adrift," she told AFP. "I think it is not acceptable to surrender without a fight".

Vucic, who was previously prime minister, is riding a fresh wave of popularity after keeping the coronavirus situation under control, with some 260 deaths in a country of seven million.

Though the post of president is meant to be ceremonial, Vucic remains Serbia's top decision-maker, leading the nation through the health emergency with frequent new announcements and TV appearances.

After bringing the first curve of infections down with tight lockdown measures, Serbia bolted out of confinement in early May -- even allowing some 16,000 to gather at a recent football match.

Infections are now starting to rise again but the ballot, already delayed once by the virus in April, is going ahead with masks and gloves made available at polling stations.

Rallies have mostly been cancelled over virus concerns, leaving Vucic to take centre stage for several virtual gatherings, in which he addressed hundreds of computer screens bearing faces of supporters watching from home.&nbsp;

In addition to touting various infrastructure projects, he made promises such as raising salaries to 900 euros a month by 2025 -- nearly double the current 500-euro average.

Dusan Spasojevic, a political science professor at Belgrade University, says Vucic has used the same playbook as other populists on the continent.

"He found&nbsp;a way to speak on the behalf of people who were poor, less educated, lived in those places where you don't have many opportunities in your life... he gave them hope."

He also benefits from a warped media landscape populated with pro-government outlets, plus a vast voting base of public sector employees and their relatives.

His increasingly "authoritarian" grip, particularly over the media and state institutions, means "Serbia does not meet minimal conditions for elective democracy", says Spasojevic.

"I use the term competitive autocracy: when there is a competition but participants are not equal," he said.

On the international stage, Vucic, who is trying to lead Serbia in the European Union, has support from the West where he is seen as capable of brokering a deal to end Serbia's decades-long territorial dispute with former province Kosovo, a stalled process expected to resume after elections.

But concerns about Serbia's democratic credentials are mounting, with the US-based Freedom House recently deeming the country no longer a democracy but a "hybrid regime" because of Vucic's strongman tactics.

Radojko Sovrlic, a 58-year-old mechanical engineer in Belgrade, told AFP he thinks Vucic deserves to be supported.

"He has made a number of roads, tunnels, bridges, kindergartens. He has built quite a lot during his rule," he said.

Some 6.5 million people, including the diaspora, are eligible to vote, with initial results expected a few hours after polls close at 1800 GMT.

Serbians were voting Sunday for a new parliament in Europe's first national election since the coronavirus pandemic, though few expect major surprises with the ruling party poised to dominate a scattered opposition, some of whom are boycotting the ballot.

Serbians were voting Sunday for a new parliament in Europe's first national election since the coronavirus pandemic, though few expect major surprises with the ruling party poised to dominate a scattered opposition, some of whom are boycotting the ballot. Also read: Coronavirus: Brazil nears 50,000 deaths; experts fear real number to be much higher In power since 2012, the centre-right Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) is led by the country's powerful president, Aleksandar Vucic, who critics accuse of budding authoritarianism. The 50-year-old is not running for parliament himself but has fronted the campaign as the chief of his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) with the slogan: "Aleksandar Vucic - For Our Children". Also read: Six members of Trump's campaign team test positive for COVID-19 The party is tipped to garner more than 50 percent of the vote, according to recent polls, thanks to a weak opposition and recent successes in fighting the coronavirus outbreak. Several of the main opposition groups are boycotting the vote altogether, decrying democratic backsliding under Vucic's domineering governance. A slate of other small opposition parties are still in the race, but only a handful are expected to clear the three-percent threshold to enter parliament. The biggest unknown in the election may be turnout, due to lingering fears over the virus and the boycott campaign. In Belgrade, around 20 voters wearing face masks lined up at a polling station as soon as voting started at 0500 GMT. Jelena Djikanovic, a 39-year-old economist, said she was eager for change but not sympathetic to the boycott campaign. "Boycotting is not productive when the country is adrift," she told AFP. "I think it is not acceptable to surrender without a fight". Vucic, who was previously prime minister, is riding a fresh wave of popularity after keeping the coronavirus situation under control, with some 260 deaths in a country of seven million. Though the post of president is meant to be ceremonial, Vucic remains Serbia's top decision-maker, leading the nation through the health emergency with frequent new announcements and TV appearances. After bringing the first curve of infections down with tight lockdown measures, Serbia bolted out of confinement in early May -- even allowing some 16,000 to gather at a recent football match. Infections are now starting to rise again but the ballot, already delayed once by the virus in April, is going ahead with masks and gloves made available at polling stations. Rallies have mostly been cancelled over virus concerns, leaving Vucic to take centre stage for several virtual gatherings, in which he addressed hundreds of computer screens bearing faces of supporters watching from home. In addition to touting various infrastructure projects, he made promises such as raising salaries to 900 euros a month by 2025 -- nearly double the current 500-euro average. Dusan Spasojevic, a political science professor at Belgrade University, says Vucic has used the same playbook as other populists on the continent. "He found a way to speak on the behalf of people who were poor, less educated, lived in those places where you don't have many opportunities in your life... he gave them hope." He also benefits from a warped media landscape populated with pro-government outlets, plus a vast voting base of public sector employees and their relatives. His increasingly "authoritarian" grip, particularly over the media and state institutions, means "Serbia does not meet minimal conditions for elective democracy", says Spasojevic. "I use the term competitive autocracy: when there is a competition but participants are not equal," he said. On the international stage, Vucic, who is trying to lead Serbia in the European Union, has support from the West where he is seen as capable of brokering a deal to end Serbia's decades-long territorial dispute with former province Kosovo, a stalled process expected to resume after elections. But concerns about Serbia's democratic credentials are mounting, with the US-based Freedom House recently deeming the country no longer a democracy but a "hybrid regime" because of Vucic's strongman tactics. Radojko Sovrlic, a 58-year-old mechanical engineer in Belgrade, told AFP he thinks Vucic deserves to be supported. "He has made a number of roads, tunnels, bridges, kindergartens. He has built quite a lot during his rule," he said. Some 6.5 million people, including the diaspora, are eligible to vote, with initial results expected a few hours after polls close at 1800 GMT.

Serbia ruling party faces split opposition in post-virus poll

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered a state of emergency and criticised a subsidiary of metals giant Norilsk Nickel after a massive diesel spill into a Siberian river. 
 
The spill of over 20,000 tonnes of diesel fuel took place on Friday. A fuel reservoir collapsed at a power plant near the city of Norilsk, located above the Arctic Circle, and leaked into a nearby river. 
 
During a televised video conference, Putin lambasted the head of the Norilsk Nickel subsidiary that runs the power plant, NTEK, after officials said it failed to report the incident. 
 
"Why did government agencies only find out about this two days after the fact? Are we going to learn about emergency situations from social media? Are you quite healthy there?" Putin asked NTEK chief Sergei Lipin in an unusually stern dressing-down.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/expanding-g-7-now-russia-pitches-for-chinas-inclusion-303020" hreflang="en">Expanding G-7: Now, Russia pitches for China's inclusion</a> 
 
Norilsk Nickel said in a statement that NTEK had reported what happened in a "timely and proper" way. 
 
Krasnoyarsk region governor Alexander Uss told Putin he only "learned of the real situation" on Sunday after "alarming information appeared in social media." 
 
Putin said he agreed that a national state of emergency was needed to call in more resources for the cleanup effort. 
 
Russia's Investigative Committee, which deals with major incidents, announced that it launched three criminal probes over environmental violations and detained an employee of the power plant. 
 
It released video footage shot on a mobile phone that appears to show fuel cascading down from the reservoir and under a fence. 
 
World Wildlife Fund expert Alexei Knizhnikov told AFP the environmental group was the one who alerted cleanup specialists after confirming the accident through its sources. 
 
"These are huge volumes," he said. "It was difficult for them to cover it up." 
 
The volume of the spill is vastly larger than a major 2007 spill in the Kerch strait of the Black Sea that involved 5,000 tonnes of oil, the WWF expert said. 
 
The Kerch spill, which at the time was the largest Russia had experienced, required the intervention of the military and hundreds of volunteers.

Troops could help clean-up 
Knizhnikov said diesel fuel is lighter than oil, so it is likely to evaporate rather than sink, but it is "more toxic to clean up". 
 
Environment Minister Dmitry Kobylkin said only the emergencies ministry could handle the cleanup, "maybe with the involvement of the military". 
 
He that burning the fuel, which some are suggesting, was too risky. 
 
"It's a very difficult situation. I can't imagine burning so much fuel in an Arctic territory... Such a huge bonfire over such an area will be a big problem."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/saudi-russia-reach-deal-on-oil-cuts-raising-pressure-for-compliance-302991" hreflang="en">Saudi, Russia reach deal on oil cuts, raising pressure for compliance</a> 
 
The Ambarnaya river that bore the brunt of the spill will be difficult to clean up because it is too shallow to use barges and the remote location has no roads, officials told Putin. 
 
Norilsk Nickel said the fuel tank was damaged when supporting pillars that had "held it in place for 30 years without difficulty" began to sink. 
 
Norilsk is constructed on permafrost and its infrastructure is threatened by melting ice caused by climate change. 
 
The company has been guilty of spillage in the past. In 2016, it admitted pollutants from a "filtration dam" at its plant washed into another local river, colouring it bright red.&nbsp; 
 
It was fined less than $1,000 for the incident.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered a state of emergency and criticised a subsidiary of metals giant Norilsk Nickel after a massive diesel spill into a Siberian river.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered a state of emergency and criticised a subsidiary of metals giant Norilsk Nickel after a massive diesel spill into a Siberian river. The spill of over 20,000 tonnes of diesel fuel took place on Friday. A fuel reservoir collapsed at a power plant near the city of Norilsk, located above the Arctic Circle, and leaked into a nearby river. During a televised video conference, Putin lambasted the head of the Norilsk Nickel subsidiary that runs the power plant, NTEK, after officials said it failed to report the incident. "Why did government agencies only find out about this two days after the fact? Are we going to learn about emergency situations from social media? Are you quite healthy there?" Putin asked NTEK chief Sergei Lipin in an unusually stern dressing-down. Also read: Expanding G-7: Now, Russia pitches for China's inclusion Norilsk Nickel said in a statement that NTEK had reported what happened in a "timely and proper" way. Krasnoyarsk region governor Alexander Uss told Putin he only "learned of the real situation" on Sunday after "alarming information appeared in social media." Putin said he agreed that a national state of emergency was needed to call in more resources for the cleanup effort. Russia's Investigative Committee, which deals with major incidents, announced that it launched three criminal probes over environmental violations and detained an employee of the power plant. It released video footage shot on a mobile phone that appears to show fuel cascading down from the reservoir and under a fence. World Wildlife Fund expert Alexei Knizhnikov told AFP the environmental group was the one who alerted cleanup specialists after confirming the accident through its sources. "These are huge volumes," he said. "It was difficult for them to cover it up." The volume of the spill is vastly larger than a major 2007 spill in the Kerch strait of the Black Sea that involved 5,000 tonnes of oil, the WWF expert said. The Kerch spill, which at the time was the largest Russia had experienced, required the intervention of the military and hundreds of volunteers. Troops could help clean-up Knizhnikov said diesel fuel is lighter than oil, so it is likely to evaporate rather than sink, but it is "more toxic to clean up". Environment Minister Dmitry Kobylkin said only the emergencies ministry could handle the cleanup, "maybe with the involvement of the military". He that burning the fuel, which some are suggesting, was too risky. "It's a very difficult situation. I can't imagine burning so much fuel in an Arctic territory... Such a huge bonfire over such an area will be a big problem." Also read: Saudi, Russia reach deal on oil cuts, raising pressure for compliance The Ambarnaya river that bore the brunt of the spill will be difficult to clean up because it is too shallow to use barges and the remote location has no roads, officials told Putin. Norilsk Nickel said the fuel tank was damaged when supporting pillars that had "held it in place for 30 years without difficulty" began to sink. Norilsk is constructed on permafrost and its infrastructure is threatened by melting ice caused by climate change. The company has been guilty of spillage in the past. In 2016, it admitted pollutants from a "filtration dam" at its plant washed into another local river, colouring it bright red. It was fined less than $1,000 for the incident.

Putin declares state of emergency over Siberian fuel spill

Russia and neighbouring territories are facing a new threat: Mutant blood-sucking ticks.

According to official government papers, the region has recorded a surge in the number of tick bites recently.

In Serbia alone, the prevalence of ticks has multiplied 428 times, the Daily Mail first reported.

The details were divulged by the Russian Defence Ministry’s own newspaper, Zvezda. “Mutant ticks are attacking - this is not a tabloid headline but a fact”, the newspaper stated.

Dangerous to humans

These mutants of “arachnid” are very dangerous and can go further than just spread Lyme disease, and is one of the two usual kinds of ticks found in the region. Lyme disease attacks the joints, heart, and the nervous system.

<h6><img alt="A flask containing two ticks is pictured in the laboratory of the INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique) which constitutes a &quot;tiquothèque&quot; to study its geographical distribution, the presence of disease, the development of the Lyme disease on September 28, 2018 in Champenoux, eastern France." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d5343c19-1d4c-4f5d-ac0a-0c763121aafc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-2_15.jpg" /> 
A flask containing two ticks is pictured in the laboratory of the INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique) which constitutes a "tiquothèque" to study its geographical distribution, the presence of disease, the development of the Lyme disease on September 28, 2018 in Champenoux, eastern France | AFP</h6>

 
In the sparsely populated Siberian regions where the ticks have shown up, hospitals are already running low on vaccines and supplies like medicines to treat tick bites in humans.

Besides that, more supplies needed to treat the diseases caused by ticks are also running low. The ticks can also cause encephalitis which causes the brain to inflame, and was responsible for 150,000 deaths in 2015 alone.&nbsp;

Short on supplies

Given the constraints in place due to the coronavirus pandemic, hospitals are already on edge. With mutant ticks in the picture, the healthcare system could go for a toss.

In Central Russia’s Krasnoyarsk region, over 8,215 tick bites have been reported, with over 2,125 in children alone. The suburban areas have 214 ticks per square kilometre, way above the safe figure of 0.5.

<h6><img alt="Detail of a tick over a paper sheet, at the molecular centre of Butantan Institute, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 25, 2009" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8a8d5d2-2899-4804-95aa-bd938c8f4fe0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-3_11.jpg" /> 
Detail of a tick over a paper sheet, at the molecular centre of Butantan Institute, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 25, 2009 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Once ticks find their way onto humans, they bite and suck on human blood, which then infects the body. Many attribute this surge in ticks to the mild winter.

A mutant tick, combining the capabilities of both parent species, can launch more fatal attacks on the human body.

The area of Novosibirsk has witnessed a 150 per cent&nbsp;increase in tick-related cases. Due to this, 22 people have been diagnosed with encephalitis.

With the whole focus set on containing coronavirus, many cities claim there are no stocks of immunoglobulin and the encephalitis vaccine to treat the victims.

Russia and neighbouring territories are facing a new threat: Mutant blood-sucking ticks. According to official government papers, the region has recorded a surge in the number of tick bites recently.

Russia and neighbouring territories are facing a new threat: Mutant blood-sucking ticks. According to official government papers, the region has recorded a surge in the number of tick bites recently. In Serbia alone, the prevalence of ticks has multiplied 428 times, the Daily Mail first reported. The details were divulged by the Russian Defence Ministry’s own newspaper, Zvezda. “Mutant ticks are attacking - this is not a tabloid headline but a fact”, the newspaper stated. Dangerous to humans These mutants of “arachnid” are very dangerous and can go further than just spread Lyme disease, and is one of the two usual kinds of ticks found in the region. Lyme disease attacks the joints, heart, and the nervous system. A flask containing two ticks is pictured in the laboratory of the INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique) which constitutes a "tiquothèque" to study its geographical distribution, the presence of disease, the development of the Lyme disease on September 28, 2018 in Champenoux, eastern France | AFP In the sparsely populated Siberian regions where the ticks have shown up, hospitals are already running low on vaccines and supplies like medicines to treat tick bites in humans. Besides that, more supplies needed to treat the diseases caused by ticks are also running low. The ticks can also cause encephalitis which causes the brain to inflame, and was responsible for 150,000 deaths in 2015 alone. Short on supplies Given the constraints in place due to the coronavirus pandemic, hospitals are already on edge. With mutant ticks in the picture, the healthcare system could go for a toss. In Central Russia’s Krasnoyarsk region, over 8,215 tick bites have been reported, with over 2,125 in children alone. The suburban areas have 214 ticks per square kilometre, way above the safe figure of 0.5. Detail of a tick over a paper sheet, at the molecular centre of Butantan Institute, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 25, 2009 | AFP Once ticks find their way onto humans, they bite and suck on human blood, which then infects the body. Many attribute this surge in ticks to the mild winter. A mutant tick, combining the capabilities of both parent species, can launch more fatal attacks on the human body. The area of Novosibirsk has witnessed a 150 per cent increase in tick-related cases. Due to this, 22 people have been diagnosed with encephalitis. With the whole focus set on containing coronavirus, many cities claim there are no stocks of immunoglobulin and the encephalitis vaccine to treat the victims.

'Blood-sucking' mutant ticks storm Russia: Hospitals already overburdened by coronavirus feel the sting

The seasonal ice melting in the Yakutia and Krasnoyarsk regions of Russia caused a rise of water level in Siberian rivers, triggering floods in towns and villages.

Russia: Melting glaciers cause massive flooding, no casualties reported so far

Political tensions are on the rise in Serbia ahead of the parliamentary elections next month.

Serbia’s election drama amid pandemic

Serbia has set June 21 as the date of a parliamentary election that was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The vote was originally scheduled for April 26 but was put on hold after a state of emergency was declared in the country in mid-March.

The rate of coronavirus infections has decreased sufficiently in the Balkan country, and hence, the emergency measures will be lifted later this week.

President Aleksander Vucic's right-wing Serbian Progressive party is expected to emerge as an overwhelming winner of the vote and continue its eight years of dominance of the Serbian political scene. 
&nbsp; 
Vucic is believed to be keen to have the vote as soon as possible because of his apparently declining popularity due to harsh lockdown measures his government has implemented during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Serbia has recorded over 9,500 coronavirus cases and 197 deaths.&nbsp;

Serbia has set June 21 as the date of a parliamentary election that was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. The vote was originally scheduled for April 26 but was put on hold after a state of emergency was declared in the country in mid-March.

Serbia has set June 21 as the date of a parliamentary election that was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. The vote was originally scheduled for April 26 but was put on hold after a state of emergency was declared in the country in mid-March. The rate of coronavirus infections has decreased sufficiently in the Balkan country, and hence, the emergency measures will be lifted later this week. President Aleksander Vucic's right-wing Serbian Progressive party is expected to emerge as an overwhelming winner of the vote and continue its eight years of dominance of the Serbian political scene. Vucic is believed to be keen to have the vote as soon as possible because of his apparently declining popularity due to harsh lockdown measures his government has implemented during the COVID-19 outbreak. Serbia has recorded over 9,500 coronavirus cases and 197 deaths.

Serbia to hold general election despite coronavirus pandemic

Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic apologised on Thursday after travelling to Serbia and breaking self-isolation rules put in place to limit the spread of coronavirus.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dybala-maldini-reveal-that-they-test-positive-for-covid-19-another-english-club-falls-victim-287847" hreflang="en">Dybala, Maldini reveal that they test positive for COVID-19, another English club falls victim</a>

Jovic claims he was given permission to fly to his home country of Serbia by Real Madrid, who went into quarantine last week after one of the club's&nbsp;basketball&nbsp;players tested positive for the virus.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-masked-virat-kohli-refuses-selfie-request-at-airport-over-covid-19-concern-287640" hreflang="en">WATCH: 'Masked' Virat Kohli refuses selfie request at airport over COVID-19 concern</a>

But after arriving in Belgrade, according to Spanish newspaper AS, the 22-year-old was "seen on the streets of the capital, celebrating the birthday of his girlfriend".&nbsp;

The local press in Belgrade have reported that Jovic was visited by police, although it is not clear whether charges will be brought against him.&nbsp;

"First of all,&nbsp;I am very sorry that I am the main topic (of debate) these days, and I am sorry that people are constantly writing about me and not about the main protagonists in the fight against this crisis,&nbsp;who are the doctors and all those who work in healthcare," Jovic wrote on social media.&nbsp;

"In Madrid, my Covid-19 test was negative. So I decided to travel to Serbia, to help and support our people, in addition to being close to my family,&nbsp;with the permission of my club.&nbsp;

"When I arrived in Serbia, they gave me the test and it came out negative.&nbsp;I am very sorry that some people have not done their job professionally and have not given me specific instructions on how I should behave during my isolation.&nbsp;

"In Spain it is allowed to go to buy food or buy products in pharmacies,&nbsp;which does not happen here (in Serbia).&nbsp;I apologise to everyone&nbsp;if in any way I have hurt or put someone in danger.&nbsp;I hope that together we can overcome all this."

Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic apologised on Thursday after travelling to Serbia and breaking self-isolation rules put in place to limit the spread of coronavirus.

Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic apologised on Thursday after travelling to Serbia and breaking self-isolation rules put in place to limit the spread of coronavirus. Also read: Dybala, Maldini reveal that they test positive for COVID-19, another English club falls victim Jovic claims he was given permission to fly to his home country of Serbia by Real Madrid, who went into quarantine last week after one of the club's basketball players tested positive for the virus. Also read: WATCH: 'Masked' Virat Kohli refuses selfie request at airport over COVID-19 concern But after arriving in Belgrade, according to Spanish newspaper AS, the 22-year-old was "seen on the streets of the capital, celebrating the birthday of his girlfriend". The local press in Belgrade have reported that Jovic was visited by police, although it is not clear whether charges will be brought against him. "First of all, I am very sorry that I am the main topic (of debate) these days, and I am sorry that people are constantly writing about me and not about the main protagonists in the fight against this crisis, who are the doctors and all those who work in healthcare," Jovic wrote on social media. "In Madrid, my Covid-19 test was negative. So I decided to travel to Serbia, to help and support our people, in addition to being close to my family, with the permission of my club. "When I arrived in Serbia, they gave me the test and it came out negative. I am very sorry that some people have not done their job professionally and have not given me specific instructions on how I should behave during my isolation. "In Spain it is allowed to go to buy food or buy products in pharmacies, which does not happen here (in Serbia). I apologise to everyone if in any way I have hurt or put someone in danger. I hope that together we can overcome all this."

Jovic apologises for breaking self-isolation rules in Serbia

The West has been pressuring Kosovo for months to drop the trade barrier, which has been poisoning already fraught ties with Serbia, a former war foe, since late 2018.

But the "half measure" Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced Thursday was met with disapproval from Richard Grenell, the outspoken US envoy to Kosovo and Serbia who was also recently named President Donald Trump's acting intelligence chief.

"Our position is quite clear: the tariffs must be completely dropped. Mr Kurti is making a serious mistake," he continued.

Under Kurti's plan the tariff, which has become the latest source of animosity between Kosovo and Serbia, would be first lifted on raw materials.

It would then be scrapped in full in April, but only if Serbia also shows signs of goodwill, Kurti said.&nbsp;

The newly-elected premier also received blowback from both allies and opponents at home.

Kurti's key coalition ally, the LDK party, threatened to quit the government if the tariff was not "revoked unconditionally," deputy Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti told local media.&nbsp;

"Can a government that does not enjoy the United States' support govern successfully?" he asked.

Kurti did however get measured support from the EU, who welcomed the "first step" towards resuming the EU-led talks between Serbia and Kosovo.

The tariff dispute has formed the latest chapter in turbulent ties between the Balkan neighbours, who have yet to normalise their relationship since Kosovo, a former Serbian province, broke away in a 1998-99 war led by ethnic Albanian separatists.&nbsp;

Serbia has never recognised the independence that Kosovo declared in 2008 and has lobbied hard to keep it out of global organisations, including the United Nations.

After it was levied in late 2018, the tariff brought EU-led negotiations between the neighbours to a standstill.

The West has been pressuring Kosovo for months to drop the trade barrier, which has been poisoning already fraught ties with Serbia, a former war foe, since late 2018.

The West has been pressuring Kosovo for months to drop the trade barrier, which has been poisoning already fraught ties with Serbia, a former war foe, since late 2018. But the "half measure" Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced Thursday was met with disapproval from Richard Grenell, the outspoken US envoy to Kosovo and Serbia who was also recently named President Donald Trump's acting intelligence chief. "Our position is quite clear: the tariffs must be completely dropped. Mr Kurti is making a serious mistake," he continued. Under Kurti's plan the tariff, which has become the latest source of animosity between Kosovo and Serbia, would be first lifted on raw materials. It would then be scrapped in full in April, but only if Serbia also shows signs of goodwill, Kurti said. The newly-elected premier also received blowback from both allies and opponents at home. Kurti's key coalition ally, the LDK party, threatened to quit the government if the tariff was not "revoked unconditionally," deputy Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti told local media. "Can a government that does not enjoy the United States' support govern successfully?" he asked. Kurti did however get measured support from the EU, who welcomed the "first step" towards resuming the EU-led talks between Serbia and Kosovo. The tariff dispute has formed the latest chapter in turbulent ties between the Balkan neighbours, who have yet to normalise their relationship since Kosovo, a former Serbian province, broke away in a 1998-99 war led by ethnic Albanian separatists. Serbia has never recognised the independence that Kosovo declared in 2008 and has lobbied hard to keep it out of global organisations, including the United Nations. After it was levied in late 2018, the tariff brought EU-led negotiations between the neighbours to a standstill.

Backlash Friday:-Kosovo's partially lift a tariff on Serbian imports while US condemns.

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