W/S Protesters marching with banner

C/U Banner in the march, reading "occupation is a crime"

W/S Protesters marching

C/U Protester waving flag

W/S Protesters marching

C/U Serbian flag

C/U Banner sign

W/S Protesters gathering

C/U Banner in the march

W/S Protesters gathering

W/S Protesters marching

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Serbia: EU Kosovo deal leaves Serbs seething

Protesters in the Serbian capital Belgrade held a demonstration against the recent EU-brokered Belgrade-Pristina agreement. Brought together by the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), they marched to Parliament, voicing their opposition to the Serbian government and EU for their policy concerning Kosovo.

The Belgrade-Pristina agreement contains concessions from Serbia agreeing not to block Kosovo's accession to the EU, but stops short of Serbia recognising Kosovo as an independent state. It would still grant Serbia, along with its close ally, Russia, the ability to block an application for Kosovan membership of the UN.

However, integration of Kosovo into the European Union would legitimise Kosovo's administrative authority over a community of 50,000 Serbs in the north. Many believe this is a betrayal of their right to self determination.

The European Union approved Serbia's bid for membership on Friday following the EU-brokered normalisation of relations between Serbia and breakaway Kosovo on Thursday. Serbia will now begin accession negotiations with Brussels no later than January 2014.

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