The Basic Court in Pristina has sentenced two individuals of Serbian nationality with initials S.J. and I.S. to six months in prison, with the possibility of converting the sentence into a fine.

Lawyer Lubomir Pantović told Radio Free Europe that the money was handed over to the authorities, and they will be returning to Serbia on August 3.

“Deportation from Kosovo and a three-year ban on entry into the country have been imposed on them,” Pantović stated.

Both individuals were arrested in late May at the Jarinje border crossing, and at the end of July, they were charged on suspicion of “participating in violent protests” and “unauthorized possession of weapons”.

The Office of the Prosecutor in Kosovo had previously stated that both individuals had been “preparing actions to cause general risk” and were in contact with “violent Serbian protesters” who clashed with NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) soldiers on May 29, in front of the municipal building in Zvecan.

In this conflict, around 30 KFOR soldiers and several Serbian protesters were injured.

Kosovo Police have arrested several Serbs for attacks against the police, KFOR, and journalists.

However, the majority have been released since then.

Tensions escalated in the north at the end of May when local Serbs opposed the entry of new Albanian mayors into the northern municipalities of Zvecan, Leposavic, and Zubin Potok.

They refused to accept the mayors, despite boycotting the elections.

For several weeks, daily protests were held in front of the buildings, demanding the withdrawal of the mayors along with the police officers engaged in the area.

On July 10, Kosovo and the European Union reached an agreement to ease tensions, which includes the holding of snap elections, among other measures.