Official NATO Calls on Kosovo, Serbia for Urgent Repression of Situation

Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia continue to be high, and neither side has so far taken measures to intensify the situation in northern Kosovo, though the first actions are being sought by official Pristina. Assistant Secretary General NATO for operations, Thomas Goffus, was in Pristina, met with the prime minister and president, and called on Kosovo and Serbia to take steps immediately to stress the situation.

“I am here to confirm NATO's goal of peace and stability. We have not seen progress by Pristina and Belgrade for deespasses, and this has endangered the lives of citizens. From recent events, we have had the largest number of injured KFOR soldiers since 1999. This is unacceptable. It is an urgent matter for Pristina and Belgrade to take concrete steps to submit, dialogue and respect agreements”, Goffus said. According to NATO's number two, he visited KFOR soldiers in the north, and said soldiers are willing to intervene if there is escalation of the situation.

NATO ready for intervention, if necessary.

“Call on the two sides to respect the Brussels Agreement and the Ohrid implementation annex. No one should attempt a new conflict in Europe, this we will not allow”, Goffus said.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who at the meeting hosted NATO senior official with all leaders of Kosovo security structures, said the lack of provision of clarity by KFOR for the kidnapping of Kosovo police officers from Serbia is disturbing.

It also raised concerns about KFOR's lack of clarity for the 14 June 2023 event, when three Kosovo Police officials were kidnapped, despite the abundant evidence provided by Kosovo institutions. Also raised concern about reports that weapons has been smuggled into Serbian Orthodox churches through ambulances”, said a communique of the prime minister's office.

Are there weapons in Orthodox churches?

Kosovo authorities have repeatedly said that police officers have been kidnapped within the country's territory, while Serbian authorities have said they were “sharp” on their territory when they were arrested. Mission NATO in Kosovo, on 16 June, had said it is not clear where the three Kosovo police officers were, at the time of Serbian forces' arrest.

After the arrest of three Kosovo Police officials on June 14th, the NATO-led KFOR mission has revised the location of the event and spoke with representatives of institutions in Kosovo and with Serbian authorities. Based on available data, it remains unclear where Kosovo Police officials were at the moment of arrest”, the KFOR communiqué said.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, at the Wednesday meeting with senior NATO official Thomas Goffus, raised another concern for reports recently that arms has been smuggled into Serbian Orthodox churches through ambulances. Kosovo is collecting data on arms smuggling claims from Serbia, and during this week, Prime Minister Kurti said his government would say its word.

Kearns: British soldiers have discovered weapons ambulances.

These claims, related to smuggling weapons through ambulances and guarding them in Serb churches in Kosovo, made public the previous day British MP Alicia Kearns made public during a debate in the British Parliament. Kearns, said, British “soldiers, who are within the framework of the NATO mission in Kosovo, discovered that weapons were being smuggled across the border from Serbia to Orthodox churches in Kosovo, using autombulance”.

And on the other hand, KFOR's mission said events mentioned by the British MP refer to 2022 when a British Army battalion was engaged in northern Kosovo in support of the NATO mission”. In a communiqué for media, KFOR said that “for the alleged presence of illegal weapons has been reported to KFOR headquarters. But no evidence for smuggling” has been found during the investigation.

However, intensified visits by Western diplomats and senior NATO officials to Kosovo come at a time when tensions continue to be high in the Serb-run northern part of Kosovo. Since the end of May, Serbs are protesting in Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposavic, rejecting the new Albanian mayors working from municipal buildings. Albanian leaders stay within the buildings under the handover of special Kosovo police units, whose presence is also rejected by local Serbs. / DW