EU condemns Kosovo Albanian protest at border

(BRUSSELS) - The European Union condemned Monday a weekend protest by hardline Kosovo Albanians aimed at barring the passage of Serbian goods across the border.

"Such demonstrations we believe to be completely unjustified because they go against what is a fundamental EU freedom, the freedom of movement of goods," said a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

"It is regrettable that violence occurred this weekend, but we do believe it was generally well-handled by the Kosovo police," said Michael Mann.

More than 50 people, including 31 police, were hurt in clashes with hundreds of stone-throwing protesters from the Kosovo Albanian Self-Determination movement, which opposes all contact with Serbia.

Belgrade and Pristina have been at loggerheads since Kosovo unilaterally proclaimed independence from Serbia in 2008.

But the two sides agreed to free trade in September after months of EU-mediated talks.

No date has been yet been set for a new round of the Serbia-Kosovo talks, an EU official said.