FLASH
Shkruar nga Franziska Tschinderle
If Pristina's story turns out to be true, then Belgrade has deliberately broken the basis of international law that once ended the conflict. But for what? Is Serbia testing how far it can go, like Russia did in Crimea...?!
Every time you think the situation can't get any worse in Kosovo, it gets worse. But how did the situation in the north of Kosovo worsen so far? Serbian insurgents initially blocked the border crossings in the north with trucks. Serbian mayors then resigned from their posts in the country's four northern municipalities and asked their voters to boycott the elections. Meanwhile, at the end of May, the most serious riots occurred since the declaration of independence in 2008. Molotov cocktails were thrown at the soldiers of the NATO defense forces "KFOR", injuring 30 of them. This then forced KFOR to increase its presence in Kosovo, adding over 700 troops in the north.
Arrested yes, but where?
However, more military presence does not automatically mean less conflict. Just a few days ago, a photo appeared on social networks, where three policemen in Kosovar uniforms were seen lying face down on the ground, handcuffed behind their backs and blindfolded. While the governments in Pristina and Belgrade prepared different statements. Belgrade said the three police officers had penetrated kilometers into Serbian territory and could be planning a terrorist attack. And according to them, that's why they were arrested. On the other hand, Prishtina says that Serbian policemen crossed the border to Kosovo and kidnapped the policemen.
The government in Pristina has issued maps and evidence. According to their confession, the three policemen were arrested around 11:56 by a Serbian anti-terrorist unit in the territory of Kosovo. Only her car, a white Dacia Duster SUV, remained at the scene. It has been heard from diplomatic circles that this representation is probably the most reliable.
Balkan expert Florian Bieber considers the Serbia terror theory to be "absurd", as he says in the profile podcast. They were regular police officers on patrol duty who had neither the equipment nor the profile for a terrorist mission in Serbia.
As long as "Kfori" (which says it was not there) does not publish a report, there will probably be no clarity about the event. This is exactly what would be so important to point the finger at those responsible. But apparently the United States has no interest in that.
Although northern Kosovo is considered a place of lawlessness and smuggling routes, clear military rules were established here in 1999 by a UN resolution. After the war, they wanted to make sure that Serbian security forces never crossed the "administrative line" again. If Pristina's story turns out to be true, then Belgrade has deliberately broken the basis of international law that once ended the conflict.
But for what?
Is Serbia testing how far it can go, as Russia did in Crimea? Not likely. Unlike Ukraine, Kosovo is under the protection of NATO. It is much more likely that President Vučić deliberately produced the warlike images to score points domestically. He has been under pressure for weeks due to mass protests. Vucic, who governs more and more autocratically, is a master of diversionary maneuvers, and the Kosovo crisis is going really well for him.
The breakdown of the Kurti - EU relationship
Sipas qarqeve diplomatike marrëdhënia mes Kosovës së banuar kryesisht me shqiptarë dhe aleatëve të saj, BE-së dhe SHBA-së, është “në terr”. Zhgënjimi i kuptueshëm i ndërmjetësve është duke u lëshuar aktualisht mbi kryeministrin Albin Kurti, i cili shpesh portretizohet si një person kokëfortë në bisedimet jashtë protokollit dhe që shkakton vështrime kolektive në Berlin, Bruksel dhe Paris.
Kurti padyshim që ka bërë gabime. Kjo pasi ai për kryetar komune emëroi shqiptarët e Kosovës, të cilët nuk kanë asnjë mbështetje dhe legjitimitet demokratik në veri përkundër paralajmërimeve të ndërmjetësuesve.
He notified "Kfor" very late and it is said that he turned off his mobile phone at critical moments. But to give him sole responsibility for the violence is absurd. The violence was perpetrated by a Serbian mob and fueled by President Aleksandar Vucic, who has been writing the script for northern Kosovo for years and whose pro-government tabloid media stokes hatred.
But unlike what should have happened, Kurti is the one who is receiving punitive measures from the West, such as the suspension of financial aid and the cancellation of high-ranking visits. The EU and the US are ready to isolate a country they themselves created and this shows that their strategy is not well thought out.
Lini një Përgjigje