Following the recent statements by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, British MP Alicia Kearns has called on the UK Government to urgently refocus its attention on the Balkans, highlighting the escalating situation in Kosovo. Kearns pointed out that nearly a year has passed since the Banjska attack, yet justice has not been served. Despite clear evidence implicating the Serbian state in the attack, which left a Kosovo police officer dead, the European Union has yet to impose substantial sanctions on Serbia. Instead, recent discussions have centered around deals involving lithium and jet trades, further raising concerns about the EU’s approach to Serbia’s increasing aggression.
Kearns expressed alarm over Vučić’s rhetoric, accusing the Serbian leader of employing tactics reminiscent of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Vučić, she warned, appears to be following Putin’s playbook by laying the groundwork for the possible annexation of northern Kosovo, a region populated by many ethnic Serbs. According to Kearns, this is a dangerous escalation that mirrors the Kremlin’s justification for territorial incursions in Ukraine and elsewhere.
“Kosovo is a sovereign state,” Kearns stressed, reminding both the UK and international community of Kosovo’s legal and diplomatic standing. She called for an immediate, firm response to any moves that would destabilize the region, warning that Vučić’s plans for Kosovo threaten not just the Balkans, but the broader European peace. The lack of meaningful sanctions and accountability, she noted, sends the wrong message and emboldens further provocations.
For Kearns, the people of northern Kosovo and Kosovo Serbs are being unfairly used as pawns in this dangerous game. She criticized the continued use of Kosovo’s Serbian population as leverage in Serbia’s irredentist ambitions, stating that they deserve better than being treated as hostages in a wider political strategy aimed at reclaiming territories. “The Balkans needs to move away from sectarian world views,” Kearns argued, calling for a shift towards a more inclusive and cooperative regional policy.
Kearns’ remarks reflect growing international concerns about Serbia’s increasing assertiveness under Vučić and the broader geopolitical risks associated with unresolved tensions in the Balkans. With echoes of Russia’s tactics in Ukraine, the situation in Kosovo has the potential to destabilize the region if not addressed swiftly and decisively.
In her appeal to the UK Government, Kearns emphasized that now is the time for Britain to reassert its role in the Balkans, working alongside the EU and other international partners to ensure justice for the Banjska attack and protect Kosovo’s sovereignty. Failure to do so, she warned, risks emboldening further authoritarian moves in Europe, setting a dangerous precedent for territorial disputes.
