Crisis in north 2011-13: What led to the guarantee Thaci gave KFOR?

On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, I offer you guarantees that the Kosovo Security Force will be able to undertake missions in northern Kosovo only in co-operation KFOR. This is in full compliance with Kosovo's existing obligations against NATO, which the Government of the Republic of Kosovo implements with the utmost seriousness. Mr. “wrote Thaci, then prime minister, in a letter sent to Mr. Rasmussen.

But what led to such guarantees that Mr. Thaci?

International pressure on Kosovo in that period had increased greatly after an operation the KSF had undertaken along with Kosovo Police on July 25th 2011 in municipalities controlled by the Serb community in northern Kosovo, in efforts to control border administrative crossings without consulting Kosovo institutions.

The EU at the time had sharply criticised Kosovo for unilateral provocation of the conflict.

On April 19, 2013, an agreement was signed in Brussels between the political representatives of Kosovo and Serbia.

Prime Minister Thaci said the purpose of the police operation had been “a concrete step in establishing order and law in northern Kosovo.” He also added that along co-operation with “the international community”... the constitution and sovereignty of my country are sacred to me and my fellow rulers and go beyond any international partnership or friendship. ”

On August 3rd, he had declared that he would not accept an agreement between KFOR and Serbia that included blocking roads that had occurred by local Serbs in the country's north.

Immediately on July 26, 2011, during the operation to take over administrative border posts, Enver Zymber, a member of the Kosovo Special Police Forces, was killed by a Serb sniper. Twenty - five other policemen were injured. /Periscope