KFOR: Examining Serbia's request for deployment of troops in Kosovo

Mission NATO in Kosovo is still reviewing Serbia's bid, made in December, following tension in the situation in the north and addressing roads, with the support of Serbian political representatives.

Serbia's “Request concerning the deployment of its troops is still under review”, KFOR's response to the Express Journal says.

Prior to the new year, Pristina's Constitutional Court changed the measure of detention of Dejan Pantic, in mass home arrest. Although, by and large, Prime Minister Albin Kurti accused the judge and the prosecutor of making the decision, this led to unblocking the situation in the north. Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq immediately urged Serbs to remove barricades from the northern streets of Kosovo.

A few weeks earlier, Serbia had officially addressed KFOR's request, relying on UN Resolution 1244. According to Vuciqi, this demand was being made for “protected” the northern Kosovo Serbs.

“Examine” length since the mission NATO in Kosovo made Serbia's request a surprise if it is based on reactions before it became formal.

The American emissary for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, has said during a visit to Pristina in mid-December that Americans are fundamentally opposed to Serbia's request.

“We object to this in a category. We flatly reject it. We don't support him at all. And, also, I mean that Kosovo has very strong security guarantees from the United States”, Escobar said.

American professor Daniel Serwer, who conveys developments between Kosovo and Serbia, has said last week about Gazette Express that he does not expect KFOR to ever respond to Serbia.

I doubt you ever respond. It's a question asked in the form of provocation, not to answer”, he said.