14 minutes agoSerbia awaits KFOR response to bringing Serb troops to Kosovo
Periskopi(3 years ago)
(3 years ago)The situation in Kosovo is unstable and that Serbia is still awaiting KFOR's response in terms of the delocation of Serbian soldiers, State Secretary at Serbia's Defence Ministry Nemanja Starovic said on December 22nd. He made these statements for foreign media in Belgrade on the 13th day since some [...]
Those statements he made for foreign media in Belgrade on the 13th day since some local Serbs have set up in northern Kosovo, and a day after Serbian Prime Minister Anna Brbank said the situation is “on the verge of armed conflict”.
Asked by journalists for the Serbian Defence Ministry's assessment if the situation is on the verge of an armed conflict, Starovic said:
We are very careful with the words we use and always strive to use a language of peace because of our responsibility. On the other hand, I fully understand the statements given by Serbian Prime Minister Anna Brnabiq and by President [Aleksandar Vuciq]”.
He added that “is very difficult to assess the situation in another way, as unfortunately we are facing direct security, welfare threats, and even the life of the Serb population in northern Kosovo”.
Starovic referred to a statement by Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who has expressed concern that the <x0 removal of the barricades may not exclude the possibility of victims”, and he praised this statement as “threat” for Serbs in Kosovo.
Our “calling, not just for Kurt, but for everyone, is to refrain from such a language”, Starovic said.
He said Serbia is patiently awaiting the NATO mission's response in Kosovo, KFOR, in terms of Belgrade's request for the deportation of Serbian Army troops to Kosovo. He said co-operation with KFOR “is good and important”.
Asked by Radio Free Europe that until they expect to receive answers from KFOR, Starovic said:
We don't expect them to respond immediately to our request to access a small contingent of our military personnel”.
Serbia launches KFOR request for Kosovo soldiers, police return
However, Starovic stressed that “is difficult to believe” that KFOR will not respond to this request, as according to him, it is allowed to Serbia under UN Security Council Resolution 1244.
On December 10th, some local Serbs set up barricades in the north, blocking roads leading to border crossings Jarinje and Brnjak, connecting Kosovo and Serbia.
Barricades rose in disappointment with former Serbian police officer Dejan Pantic's arrest. Authorities in Kosovo have said Pantic is suspected of the December 6th attack on Central Election Commission officials in the north.
