Protest from US after Kosovo closes Serbian offices

Risk of raising tensions after parallel institutions serving Serb minority are declared illegal and shuttered by ethnic Albanian-led government

Kosovo authorities on Friday closed five parallel institutions working with the ethnic Serb minority, a move that was immediately criticised by the US and could further raise tensions with neighbouring Serbia.

Elbert Krasniqi, Kosovo's minister of local administration, confirmed the closure of five so-called parallel institutions in the north - where most of the ethnic Serb minority lives - writing online that they violate the Republic of Kosovo's constitution and laws".