Serbian army is on high alert at the Kosovo border | Conflict News

The Belgrade government accuses neighboring Kosovo of sending special police units to the border as a “provocation.”

After the Belgrade government accused neighboring Kosovo of sending special police units to the border to “provoke”, the Serbian army has been on high alert.

Since the Albanian-led government dispatched police forces to areas mainly inhabited by ethnic Serbs, the tensions between Serbia and its former secession areas have worsened. They have rejected the government’s decision in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. authority.

According to Pristina, the deployment was a day when hundreds of Serbs held daily protests against the decision to require drivers with Serbian license plates to wear temporary license plates when entering Kosovo-it was a “reciprocity”. measure”.

“No one here wants a conflict, I hope there will be no conflict,” said a 45-year-old protester who called himself Ljubo and set up camp at the Jarinje border crossing.

“We hope Pristina will withdraw troops and cancel the decision on license plates.”

Hundreds of Serbs in Kosovo have been protesting and blocking traffic with trucks on the road leading to the two border crossings.

Kosovo Special Police stood in front of hundreds of Kosovo Serbs in protest against the government’s ban on vehicles with Serb license plates in Jarinje, Kosovo [Laura Hasani/Reuters]

“After being provoked by the United States [special police] Forces… Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has ordered that some Serbian military and police forces be alerted,” the German Ministry of Defense in Belgrade said in a statement.

According to Agence France-Presse, after several operations on Saturday, Serbian fighter jets can be seen flying over the border area again on Sunday.

Diplomatic pressure

EU Chief Diplomat Josep Borel urged Serbia and Kosovo to “withdraw SWAT troops immediately and remove roadblocks” to ease tensions.

“Any further provocation or unilateral and uncoordinated actions are unacceptable,” he said in a statement.

Serbia and Kosovo need to unconditionally ease the situation on the ground. Any further provocations, unilateral or uncoordinated actions are unacceptable.

The dialogue promoted by the EU remains the only platform for resolving and resolving all outstanding issues.https://t.co/GVv54dKRBb

-Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) September 26, 2021

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that he has spoken on the phone with the Serbian President and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

“Belgrade and Pristina are essential to show restraint and resume dialogue,” he wrote on Twitter.

I and @avucic of #Serbia & @albinkurti of #Kosovo Regarding the need to downgrade in northern Kosovo. It is essential that Belgrade and Pristina show restraint and resume dialogue. @NATO_KFORThe mission remains to ensure a safe environment and freedom of movement for all.

-Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) September 26, 2021

Since the Serbian-Kosovo conflict in 1998-99, NATO troops have been deployed in Kosovo.

Belgrade does not recognize Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence in 2008, and regards Pristina’s decision on license plates as implying its status as a sovereign state.

Vucic expressed regret for the lack of response from the international community to “Pristina armored vehicles occupying northern Kosovo for more than a week.”

Vucic said in a statement: “Everyone suddenly felt worried when they saw Serbian helicopters and planes flying over central Serbia,” however, he added that Serbia “will always act responsibly and seriously. “.

Kurti on Saturday accused Serbia of wanting “Provoking serious international conflicts“.

Earlier on Sunday, Serbian Defense Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic visited the troops at two military bases on alert, one of which was only a few kilometers from the border.

Belgrade designated the border crossing point between Serbia and Kosovo as an “administrative” border crossing point.

Serbia’s ally Russia also does not recognize Kosovo’s independence, but most Western countries, including the United States, do.

For its part, NATO member Albania is “worried about the escalation” and has asked Belgrade to “withdraw its armed forces deployed on the Kosovo border.”

“Due to developments in the northern part of the country,” Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani shortened his visit to New York for the UN General Assembly.

Kosovo’s declaration of independence was declared ten years after the war between Albanian fighters and the Serbian army resulted in 13,000 deaths, most of which were ethnic Albanians.

The United States and the European Union have called for easing tensions and for the two sides to resume normal negotiations. The European Union has been mediating for about ten years.

The President of Serbia stated that the process of normalization can only be resumed if Kosovo withdraws its special police forces from the north.