Barricade at Merdare removed - reports

PRISTINA - A barricade at the Merdare administrative crossing has been removed, with other barricades in the north of Kosovo-Metohija also expected to be dismantled, Belgrade-based Vecernje novosti eports.

The barricade was put up by Serb protesters in support of fellow Serbs arrested by the Pristina authorities.

The arrestees were released on Wednesday.

Quoting a source in Pristina's police, the Albanian-language Reporteri internet news portal said the crossing was now open to traffic.

After late Wednesday's meeting with Kosovo-Metohija Serb representatives in Raska, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said the removal of barricades would begin on Thursday morning but would take between 24 and 48 hours to complete.