US Mission Reopens in Belgrade

Building cleaned up, but bears scars from last week's violent protests
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 27, 2008 12:56 PM CST
US Mission Reopens in Belgrade
A rioter throws a block of wood into the burning U.S. embassy in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008. A week of unabated violence, including the torching of the U.S. Embassy, raises questions about whether Balkan tensions might again spiral into bloodshed. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)   (Associated Press)

Workers were still cleaning up damage from last week’s violent demonstrations when the US embassy in Belgrade reopened today, Reuters reports. Protesters set fire to and ransacked the building last Thursday to protest the US’ support of Kosovo in the province's declaration of independence. Now, though the building still bears scars, it is once again open for business.

But things aren’t quite back to normal. The embassy won’t be giving out visas yet because the visa section was basically destroyed, and won’t reopen until standard security measures are back in place. The US has also warned Americans against traveling to Serbia, and non-essential embassy staff and family members have been sent to neighboring Croatia indefinitely. (More US Embassy stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X