Serbian Minister: Kosovo Police Armatta with Long Weapons, Pressure and Dangerous Action

Serbia's Interior Minister, Bratislav Gashic, said the announcement that all Kosovo Police patrols will be equipped with long weapons “is extremely provocative and dangerous to increase tensions”.

According to Gashiqi, long arms are not used on regular traffic patrols, nor during regular citizen controls.

Earlier in January 12th, Kosovo Interior Minister Jedal Svecla said all police patrols in the country would be equipped with long arms. He said these weapons would increase efficiency in fighting crime. According to Gashiqi, this Svechla announcement, “criminalises the Serbian population” in Kosovo.

Gashic accused Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti of continuing with policy “installing fear and violence against the Serbian population”.

In Svechla's announcement, it was not said how many purchased weapons are in question, but he only thanked Croatia “for its close and correct co-operation with the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo”.

Kosovo police were formed 24 years ago and number over 9,000 members, who have different degrees. Police are the first security response in Kosovo, and then comes the European Union's mission for Ending Law (EULEX) and the peacekeeping mission NATO, KFOR.

For the security of Kosovo's borders with Serbia, KFOR is responsible, while for the rest of the Kosovo borderline, the Kosovo Police.

The announcement of the purchase of long arms for police officials comes a day after the United States confirmed that they have approved Kosovo's request for the purchase of 246 opposing systems, Yavelin, produced in the US, for the Kosovo Security Force.

The process of adopting these weapons for Kosovo must receive the consent of the US Congress. / REL