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In the wake of a series of incidents highlighting the growing tension between the the European Rule of Law Mission to Kosovo (EULEX) and representatives of the Kosovan government and the country's Albanian majority, Die Tageszeitungreports that "the European mission is embroiled in a crisis." On 27 August, Kosovo's President and Prime Minister, Fatmir Sejdiu and Hashim Thaçi, both expressed their opposition to a police cooperation agreement between EULEX and Serbia to combat smuggling on the Serbian-Kosovan border.
The Kosovans are angry because they were not consulted by EULEX before it signed the agreement with Belgrade, which they believe is an affront to Kosovan sovereignty. As the TAZ report explains, Belgrade only negotiates with EULEX, because direct negotiations with Pristina would imply a recognition of the independence of the former Serbian province, "which it wishes to avoid at all costs." In protest against the agreement, members of the hardline nationalist Self-determination Movement, which is opposed to any foreign presence in Kosovo, burned about 30 vehicles belonging to EULEX.
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