German Western Balkans analyst Kurt W. Bassuener has warned that Kosovo’s security situation remains a matter of concern, calling for stronger engagement by the European Union and international partners to reinforce KFOR’s presence.
In an interview with Telegrafi, the co-founder of the Democratization Policy Council (DPC) said that, alongside strengthening the international military presence, the EU must adopt a less automatically pro-Belgrade approach in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.
Addressing the armed attack in Banjska, Zvečan, on September 24, 2023, Bassuener said Kosovo’s new government should seek European assistance in investigating the possible involvement of Serbia’s state security structures in the attack.
He stressed that a full investigation is essential to establish accountability and prevent similar incidents from happening again.
“There can be no genuine accountability without fully clarifying events of this kind,” Bassuener stated.
Asked about the possibility of renewed tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, the analyst said that, despite the uncertainty and mixed messages coming from the Student List regarding Kosovo, it was difficult to imagine a similar act of adventurism to the Banjska attack.
Nevertheless, he warned that Aleksandar Vučić’s departure from power would not necessarily bring an immediate change in Serbia’s policy towards Kosovo.
Bassuener said the Kosovo issue could become one of the most difficult challenges for a post-Vučić Serbia, given the nationalist public discourse that has been cultivated over many years.
