All you need to know about the action of the police in the north and the Drenica

Kosovo police with its units have launched a broad action in the country's north and in other areas like Drenas and Skenderaj, where several suspects for organised crime and corruption have been arrested.

Of this action, nine people have already been arrested, while four Kosovo Police officers have been injured.

Kosovo Police arrested are of different ethnicities -- Albanians, Serbs and Bosniaks.

The Reactions of institutional Leaders

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has said that today's police operation in the north is to the benefit of all citizens without any distinction, while inviting the Serb community in the north to maintain calm and support the fight against organised crime.

The rule and law institutions need the maximum trust and support of all society in the fight against organised crime, smuggling and corruption, in the entire territory of the Republic of Kosovo”, Thaci has written.

Thaci has also expressed regret over wounding Kosovo police at the helm of the post.

“In the second decade of the Republic of Kosovo there will be room for organised crime, and those involved in illegal activities will end up behind bars”, the president writes.

“Forcing order and law is vital for the equality of all citizens and accelerating our movement towards the Euro-Atlantic integration process! “, the president has stressed at the end.

Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, in his reaction, has said Serbia should not undermine efforts to rule the rule of order and law”.

Prime Minister Haradinaj's post:

Strengthening rule of law is a fundamental interest of our country and region. Organised crime and smuggling are a direct threat to our common progress, and NOUK should rely on the basis of ethnic affiliation and any other basis. Serbia's government should not target minimising our efforts to fight organised crime.

Kosovo Speaker Kadri Veselini, commenting on the police operation in the north, has declared that no one will escape the law's hand, including those who have held the uniform and official office of the state of Kosovo.

Wessel's Complete Facebook Posting

There are no more important targets for the state than ensuring rule of law in the entire territory of the Republic of Kosovo. No one will escape the rule of law, including those people who have abused by maintaining the official uniform and office of the state of Kosovo. I commend the police for their courage and professionalism. I express solidarity for injured police, wanting a quick recovery. I call on our fellow citizens of the Serb community, to maintain themselves, to remain calm as well as not to fall prey to propaganda intended to instrumentalise a public order action for political purposes. Efforts to establish order and law are first in their service because they have long felt threatened and affected by the presence of organised crime. I assure them that, the Republic of Kosovo, is a state of all its citizens, regardless of ethnicity and religion, and remains seriously committed to protecting the rights and interests of all its citizens wherever they live.

The LDK chairman, Isa MustafaIn his reaction, he also said that crime does not know ethnicity.

The head of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, said that every action and legal and legal action of Kosovo's justice bodies should be welcomed in the entire territory of the country.

He said organized crime doesn't know ethnicity, just like the law shouldn't.

All those -- Albanians, Serbs, Bosniaks and others -- officials and no officials should equally respond to the law on harmful actions that are causing the country”, Mustafa wrote.

He added that justice cannot be selective as in the case of the files.

The implementation of justice should not bother anyone, nor Serbia, if they are not involved in these criminal acts”, Mustafa concludes.

KFOR: We do not mix, but are ready

Regarding police action in the north of KFOR through a communique for the media says that neither the KSF of any other military force is located in that part. However, it is noteworthy that it was KFOR's spokesman, who through a statement to Serbian media, has said that he was. KFOR does not get involved in this situation after Kosovo police are only doing their job.

“In terms of the current situation, KFOR informs that Kosovo police are conducting a police operation all over Kosovo, following warrants issued by the Pristina Court in connection with an investigation into corruption. KFOR confirms that this is only a police operation and that neither the Kosovo Security Force nor any other military force has been deployed north of Kosovo” is highlighted in KFOR's response.

Because of the current political sensitivity, KFOR commander has invited all sides to deal with disagreements peacefully and responsibly, without any force or violence.

“People must remain calm, have nothing to fear”, KFOR noted.

KFOR has stated, among other things, that it continues to monitor the situation and is willing to intervene, if required as third responsible, in order to ensure security for all communities, in line with its mandate under UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

Reactions from Serbia

Serbia's President Aleksandar Vuciq had declared that the Serbian military is ready until Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic declared that he has left for Zubin Potok.

“So far 23 people, mainly of Serbian nationality, have been arrested, but there are also Bosniaks. The event is undertaken in three municipalities -- northern Mitrovica, Leposaviq and Zubin Potok” -- has said Vuciq broadcasts B92, escorts Periscopi.

Among the most arrested are members of police, the Serbian president has said.

The “is actually what we knew 15 days ago when we alarmed the international community”, Vuciq said.

Vuciq said they have information that among those arrested there is also a Russian citizen, a worker of UNMIK.

Thaci responds to Vuciqi for army

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, after a meeting that has been held with the leaders of security institutions, has declared that Kosovo Police are conducting a normal action in some parts of the country, where the cases that have violated the law have been arrested.

He has responded to journalists' question about Vuciqi's warning that he is ready to leave for Kosovo.

The “is a populist statement that takes into account internal opinion in Serbia. Vuciq knows very well that he cannot move towards Kosovo, and he himself is convinced the port on every occasion, Kosovo security institutions are in a state of readiness. Populist statements are not about war, they're about their internal issues to gain sympathy within the opinion there. No one has the right to protect people who have violated the law, and Belgrade should be co-operative in this regard. Belgrade should be co-operative. It's a joint action, where there are citizens arrested from the north, from Drenica, a Russian being arrested, who had been camouflaged. I invite citizens to be cooperative, and I am grateful that they were cooperative in this case”, Thaci said.

World Media for Developments in the North

World agencies broadcast news from the Kosovo Special Police Task Force action.

The AP emphasises that Serbia has ordered its troops to be fully prepared after the report that Kosovo police entered the north to arrest police officers accused of smuggling, organised crime, misuse of office.

The agency quotes Marko Djuric, chief of the so-called Serbian Office for Kosovo, that the Kosovo police's action was designed to intimidate and expel Serbs from Kosovo, and represents “not only the threat to stability, but also the most direct threat to peace”.

Italian agency Ansa reports that early morning in northern Kosovo, special police units arrested 13 Serb members of Kosovo police, which according to the Italian agency raised interethnic tensions.

Ansa broadcasts that sirens have been heard in the northern part of Mitrovica, the largest city in northern Kosovo.

The agency says Serbian President Vuciq asked Western countries to intervene with authorities in Pristina to persuade them to stop actions on the Serbian population.

While, Russian agency Tass says official Pristina action “has provoked the ire of Kosovo Serbs”. /Periscope.