The Karate Federation of Kosovo at the border with Serbia on Wednesday | Photo: Kosovo Karate Federation

Kosovo’s karate team was not allowed to enter Serbia on Wednesday morning for the European Karate Championship which will be held in Novi Sad on May 10- 13.

“The Serbian police at the Merdare crossing border told the leaders of the Karate Federation of Kosovo of the decision of the Interior Ministry of Serbia, who have issued orders that the expedition should not be allowed to enter Serbia,” a statement from the Kosovo Karate Federation said.

One day earlier, Serbia’s government had already decided that the team from Kosovo would not be allowed to display any national symbols during the European Karate Championship.

Serbian media reported that the Kosovo team was banned for “procedural reasons”, for not respecting the agreement between the two countries on official visits.

Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj condemned the decision of the Belgrade authorities as an unacceptable act “that does not contribute to the normalisation of relations between our two states.

“The Serbian authorities were informed by the Kosovo Olympic Committee about this trip and the claim that they have not been informed on time is untenable,” Haradinaj wrote on Facebook.

The Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo issued a statement saying that “despite Serbia’s desire to be a good host to all athletes at the upcoming European Championships in karate, in Novi Sad, athletes from Kosovo and Metohija will not be part of this competition, because for some of them, this time, the sport was of secondary importance”.

On Tuesday, Serbian right-wingers warned that they would block roads in the Serbian city of Novi Sad if Kosovo karate players arrived there for the upcoming championship, following the decision of the Kosovo Football Federation to ban a match between the Serbian club Red Star and Gracanica, in central Kosovo.

The Football Federation of Kosovo rejected a request by Red Star to play a humanitarian match in the mainly ethnic Serbian town on May 9, the head of the Federation, Fadil Vokrri, said on Monday.

“For two years, we gave permission for the match, but this [year] we will not because at the last game things happened that do not belong to sport. There were offensive messages and that’s why we have rejected Red Star’s request. We have also informed UEFA that there will be no match,” Vokrri told the Koha Ditore daily.

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