A group of Serbian fans chanted “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia” in central Munich, where they had gathered before their national team’s match against Slovenia on Thursday. Serbia, meanwhile, threatened to withdraw from Euro 2024 due to calls against Serbs.

Fans continued their political gestures regarding the Balkans at the European Football Championship in Germany on Thursday.

On Thursday, Marienplatz was packed with fans from Serbia and Slovenia, both former Yugoslav states.

The strained political relationship between Serbia and Kosovo was reflected by banners, chants and hateful gestures during the tournament in Germany, prompting the sides to lodge complaints with European football’s governing body, UEFA.

Serbia has threatened to withdraw from Euro 2024 over anti-Serb chants during the match between Croatia and Albania on Wednesday.

During that Group B match, which ended 2:2, there were calls to kill the Serbs.

Jovan Surbatovic, general secretary of the Football Federation of Serbia, said he has lodged an official complaint with UEFA, saying fans of Croatia and Albania chanted “kill, kill, kill the Serbs” during their match in Hamburg.

On Wednesday, UEFA fined the Serbian Football Federation 10,000 euros for “broadcasting provocative messages inappropriate for a sporting event” during Sunday’s match.

Photographs from the crowd of Serbian fans during the match showed a banner of the Serbian national flag, which included Kosovo within its borders.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Belgrade refuses to accept it, writes Radio Free Europe.

The Football Federation of Kosovo filed a complaint with UEFA against the Serbian fans’ banners, which it said contained “political, chauvinistic and racist messages”.

Also on Wednesday, UEFA revoked the accreditation of a Kosovar journalist for Euro 2024 matches after complaints that he made nationalist gestures towards Serbian fans during Serbia’s match against England in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.