Unclear on how the decision to two declared terrorist organisations will be implemented

These Serb organisations are believed to operate in northern Kosovo.

Citizens he talked to REL on Friday, the day after the government's decision, they think they don't exist. Virtual organisation” is being charged, they say.

On the same day, the Serb List -- the largest party of Kosovo Serbs, supported by official Belgrade -- made similar comments.

We remember citizens that the North Brigade is a virtual organisation, which exists in the head of [Kosovo Prime Minister Albin] Kurti and Civil guard, with its former employees, has integrated into Kosovo institutions, from which these workers still today receive salaries”, the Serbian List said.

According to her, this decision “would be ridiculous if it were not dangerous”, and, in fact, it is “a plan for escalation, reactpression and invasion of northern Kosovo”.

Security experts say it is impossible to determine the members of these organisations and that the decision is “unreasonable” if there is no evidence.

Kosovo authorities, on the other hand, say the members of these two organisations stand behind the recent riots in northern Kosovo ʹ the Serb-run populated area ʹ and that they “pose a serious and direct threat to constitutional order and the security of Kosovo”.

What remains unclear for now is how Kosovo will identify the members of “Civil Protection” and “North Brigade”.

REL contacted the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but until the publication of this article, no response was received.

Is identification possible, and how?

Minister for Communities and Return to the Government of Kosovo Nenad Rassic, who voted against the Government's decision to terrorize the two organisations in question, says that, currently, it is not clear what “methode” plans to use the Government of Kosovo to determine if anyone is a member of these organisations.

“Who will identify, who will practically say that someone is terrorist”, Rassic asked.

He says, so far, he has failed to receive answers from Interior Minister Jelal Svecla.

Speaking of the REL, Rassic also says the decision has not been discussed in advance and that it has been <x0-immediate”.

I want to believe that this is meant to prevent further actions in that kind of organization... There is much uncertainty about the methodology of implementing that decision. I hope there will be no consequences for the survival of Serbs in northern Kosovo”, Rassic says.

Verolub Petronic, a researcher in the security field from North Mitrovica, believes that, under current circumstances, it is almost impossible to determine who is a member of these organisations.

The “is very difficult and it is very questionable how and how it will become [identification]”, Petronaq says about REL, adding that these organisations are not registered anywhere.

He says that, first of all, it should be clearly and precisely defined why “Civil Protection” and “North Brigade” have been declared terrorist organisations, responsible for what acts they are accused of.

He adds that it should be proven that these two organisations are registered and that they are financed from. It does not rule out the possibility that only persons who have already been arrested by Kosovo security forces will be treated as terrorists.

Lately, Kosovo Police have arrested ten people who are charged with attacks on constitutional order, persons in uniform and journalists in the north.

Among them is Milun Milenkovijq lune, of whom Kosovo authorities say it is “one of the Civil Protection leaders”.

Can anyone prove to be a member of “Civil Protection” and “North Brigade”?

Ehat Miftaraj, from the Kosovo Institute for Justice, says the government of Kosovo's decision to state “Civil Protection” and “North Brigade” terrorist organisation is only a “pieced out of paper”, if not attached to evidence.

“Procuroria must provide evidence for any arrest [in allegations of committing the terrorist act]”, Miftaraj says.

He adds that the Government of Kosovo, based on current laws, has the right to declare a terrorist organisation and that any member of such an organisation could undergo prosecution and judicial procedures.

However, to implement such a decision in practice, legal procedures must be provided against any individual that might be part of such organisations”, Miftaraj says.

What are the “Civil Protection” and “North Brigade” accused of?

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on June 29th that “Civil Protection” and “North Brigade” have conducted shares “with terrorist elements”, such as armed attacks on members of the Kosovo Police, members of the NATO mission, KFOR, and the European Mission for Rule of Law, EULEX”.

He also said that these two organisations have called for resistance and disobedience and that they have “tasked” citizens to appear in protests and barricades to counter Kosovo authorities.

Kurti said these two organisations “have recruited and trained members for the use of weapons and war methods at military bases in Serbia, with the aim of carrying out attacks on local institutions and international missions in Kosovo”.

Also, according to Kosovo authorities, these two organisations have intimidated and prevented candidates and political subjects from participating in elections in northern Kosovo.

The risk and risk level of these illegal formations is high. Kosovo institutions consistently oppose the activity of these formations, to prevent the consequences, for both citizens and members of our country's institutions and the international presence in Kosovo”, Kurti said.

Security expert Petroniq says these acts can only be classified as “violence or danger of public safety through violence”.

Now, we'll see if they're trying to use the term "encourage terrorism." Let's see how one can do this legally without falling into its trap”, Petroniq says.

What do citizens say?

Milenko from Northern Mitrovica, one of the four Serb majority municipalities in northern Kosovo, says briefly that the Kosovo Government's decision to declare “Civil Protection” and the “North Brigade” terrorist organisation is “wrong”.

Sasa claims that these organisations do not exist and believes they are only <x0-virtual”.

“They exist in their heads”, he says.

For Nenad, the Kosovo Government decision is “absolute error”. According to him, the non-existence organisation “is being charged.

What is known about “Civil Assistance” and “

“Civil Protection” has been officially disbanded in northern Kosovo in 2015/16, based on the Brussels Agreement for normalising Kosovo-Serbia relations.

The workers of this organisation have later integrated into Kosovo institutions.

According to data from the Kosovar Centre for Security Studies, “Civil Protection” in Kosovo consisted of members who had passed military training and were considered very dangerous for Kosovo's security.

REL failed to confirm whether after the official break-up, “Civil Protection” has operated secretly or renovated.

The “North Brigade” since late last year has signed X-rays north of Kosovo. Some of them say: “don't worry! We're here! We're waiting. In some cases it's also signed as “Brigada North”.

It is not known who is behind it, nor if it comes to a formal organization.

The US State Department already told Radio Free Europe that the Government of Kosovo has not been co-ordinated with the United States when it has made the decision to declare the terrorist proclamation of these two organisations.

He called on Kosovo to refrain from unilateral steps until Western countries work to resolve the current crisis in the north.

The crisis deepened in late May, when Albanian mayors in the north settled in their offices, despite the resistance of local Serb residents.