Given the tensions in Kosovo, the Serbian government has put the army on high alert. Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vučević said Monday night that President Aleksandar Vučić had ordered “highest combat readiness”. Serbs also set up new roadblocks in the ethnically divided city of Mitrovica on Tuesday.
Army chief Milan Mojsilović had previously stated that he was sent to the Kosovo border due to Vučić’s “complicated situation”.
Kosovo urges Serbia to remove barricades
The Serbian Defense Ministry announced on Monday evening that President Vučić was convinced that Kosovo was preparing an attack on the Serbs in the region and wanted to remove the barricades by force. The Kosovo government had said it could not engage in dialogue with “criminal gangs”. In Mitrovica, however, freedom of movement had to be restored and the barricades removed, she had demanded. She also warned that Kosovo police were able and willing to act. However, it is awaiting the Kosovo-based NATO peacekeeping force KFOR, which has a neutral role, to respond to Kosovo’s request to lift the barricades.
Kosovo, with its predominantly Albanian population, declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but is still considered a breakaway region by Belgrade. Despite attempts at mediation by the EU, neighboring countries have been at odds for years. Belgrade encourages the Serb minority in northern Kosovo in their efforts to defy Pristina’s authority.
Attacks by EU mission soldiers are a cause for concern
Tensions on the border with Serbia have risen again in recent weeks. Hundreds of Kosovo Serbs have been blocking traffic in northern Kosovo for weeks. Shots fired at police officers at night and an attack on EULEX troops with a stun grenade had raised international concern. Earlier, a former Serbian police officer was arrested for allegedly assaulting Kosovo police officers during an earlier demonstration. Local Serbs are demanding the release of the arrested former police officer and have set further conditions for the removal of the barricades.
In view of the rising tensions in the north of Kosovo, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić recently warned of an escalation of the situation. Both countries are “really on the brink of armed conflict,” she said. Brnabić blamed the government in Prishtina for the tensions.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
