The announcement of new local elections in northern Kosovo, the return of Serbs to Kosovo’s police and judiciary, and the withdrawal of Kosovo’s special police units from the northern region are some of the main demands mentioned by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic regarding Kosovo. Austrian expert Gunther Fehlinger argued that Vucic, possibly under Putin’s influence, is attempting to create a pretext for conflict with Kosovo, but he is aware that such actions could have serious repercussions from the United States.
“President Vučić seems to be trying to build a scenario that could lead to war with Kosovo, especially with the harsh winter season approaching. His main ally, Putin, appears weakened after recent failures, and with the anticipated Ukrainian offensive in Crimea, Putin is desperate to ignite conflicts elsewhere, including the Balkans. However, Vučić knows that a real war could topple him from power, with U.S. intervention,” Fehlinger stated.
Fehlinger also suggested that Vučić is attempting to distract the Serbian public and Kosovar leaders from his corrupt governance.
The Austrian expert has called for NATO to take a strong stance and warn Serbia of severe military consequences if it takes aggressive actions against Kosovo.
“Vučić is waging a virtual war on two fronts: against Kosovar leaders and to deceive his own public. Unfortunately, this strategy is negatively impacting Kosovo, lowering public and investor confidence, while hindering the European integration of both Serbia and Kosovo. The best course of action for NATO would be to issue a clear warning to Belgrade, signaling that any further violent actions will be met with military force.”
Fehlinger concludes by emphasizing that NATO should abandon its previous conciliatory approach and instead adopt a tougher stance, including the threat of military intervention if necessary.
