BERLIN, Dec 3 – German media outlets have strongly covered the recent bombing attack in northern Kosovo, with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Berliner Tageszeitung reporting on the escalating tensions and the political ramifications of the incident.
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung highlights the bomb explosion near a key water channel that supplies water to two important Kosovo power plants. Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti immediately accused Serbia of being behind the attack, while Belgrade has denied any involvement. The bombing has stirred fears of rising instability in the region, especially as Kosovo Police have arrested eight suspects and confiscated weapons and ammunition during operations in the northern, Serb-majority areas of Kosovo.
In its report, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung quotes Kurti, who described the attack as “a criminal and terrorist act carried out by professionals,” suggesting that it was the work of criminal groups linked to Serbia. However, the paper notes that the background of the attack remains unclear, and Belgrade has strongly rejected any accusations.
The Berliner Tageszeitung mentions that the European Union condemned the bombing as a “terrorist attack” and referenced EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, who described it as “an abhorrent act of sabotage against Kosovo’s critical civilian infrastructure.” The United States, France, and Turkey also joined the international outcry, calling for restraint, with the KFOR forces led by NATO urging both sides to avoid further escalation.
Tensions Escalate in Kosovo
The German outlets also point to the growing hybrid war tensions in Kosovo, with Kosovar media speculating that the attacks may mark the start of a broader hybrid war led by Russia. Earlier this week, hand grenades were thrown at a municipal building in northern Kosovo, adding to a string of escalating violence. The most significant escalation occurred in September 2023, when Serb paramilitary forces attacked a Kosovo police patrol, injuring several officers.
Frankfurter Rundschau reports that Kosovo and Serbia continue to accuse each other over the attack, while Serbia hopes for support from Russia and the United States. The newspaper adds that Serbia has long claimed that it is defending the rights of ethnic Serbs in Kosovo, with Belgrade refusing to recognize Kosovo’s independence. The bombing is seen by some as a move to undermine Kosovo’s territorial integrity, according to the paper.
While tensions continue to rise, Serbia has denied that the attack was part of any effort to create a “Greater Serbia,” but the reports signal an increasingly volatile situation in the Balkans.
