Vehicle registration plates of Kosovo

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - The first passenger car with "RKS" licence plates on which the "RKS" designation was not covered by a sticker crossed into central Serbia at the Jarinje administrative crossing on Monday morning following the January 1 entry into force of a Serbian government decision to allow free movement for all vehicles from the territory of Kosovo-Metohija, Kosovo Online reported.

The streets of North Mitrovica were still this morning full of cars with license plates issued by the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia.
What citizens most often say is that they do not follow the statements of officials from Pristina, but what official Belgrade tells them.

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, announced that the replacement of the license plates of the Republic of Serbia with Kosovo "RKS" has begun and that this process will last until October 31.

If the protests go on, basic supplies to north Kosovo will be affected and could create "a humanitarian crisis," he said.

Years of limbo

Protesters put up a tent at the Jarinje border crossing on Monday. Photo: Valon Fana/BIRN

A long-delayed agreement on car insurance between Serbia and Kosovo has come into effect, which should cut the insurance costs for drivers by roughly half.

The deal assumes that drivers of vehicles registered in Kosovo will be now able to cross into Serbia with third-party liability insurance, MTPL.

The agreement was suspended on Friday with officials in Kosovo and Serbia citing differing interpretations of the document which was signed a month ago but not made public.

Pristina officials believe that Serbia is now obliged to grant entry to vehicles from Kosovo with licence plates labelled with 'RKS' (Republic of Kosovo).