Clashes between
ethnic Serbs in
northern Kosovo and the
Republic of Kosovo began on 25 July 2011 when the
Kosovo Police crossed into the
Serb-controlled municipalities of
North Kosovo, in an attempt to control several border crossings without the consultation of either Serbia or
KFOR/
EULEX. Though tensions between the two sides eased somewhat after the intervention of
NATO's KFOR forces, they continued to remain high amid concern from the
EU, who also blamed Kosovo for the unilateral provocation. On 19 April 2013,
an agreement was signed in Brussels between representatives of Kosovo and Serbia. The 15-point document granted devolved powers to North Kosovo regarding economic development, education, healthcare and urban planning, and a number of mechanisms that allowed a certain degree of autonomy in justice, policing and electoral matters.