The situation in the north of Kosovo continues to remain calm but fragile. These days have been one year since the attack that took place against members of KFOR, Kosovo Police and journalists.
Regarding the situation in this part, Gurakuç Kuçi, researcher at the Institute for Hybrid War Studies “Octopus”, said that Serbia is constantly monitoring the situation, waiting for the opportunity to restore tensions and clashes with the security bodies, through demonstrations and other actions. , until terrorist acts like those of September 24, 2023 in Banjska.
According to him, in the past, former members of the Kosovo Police from the Serbian community have openly committed criminal acts.
“In the past, during the protests of a year ago, masked individuals, former members of the Kosovo Police from the Serbian community and criminal structures such as “civil defense” and “bridge guards” openly committed criminal acts, now they do not constitute with an open threat neither to Kosovo’s security bodies nor to the Serbian community itself, which they used to force to participate in demonstrations and create artificial support”, stated Kuçi.
Kuçi has emphasized that during the month of May, Serbia has tried several times to provoke the escalation of the situation, but the security bodies of Kosovo have been vigilant and have taken immediate measures to prevent these actions.
Asked about the security measures that have been taken in the last year to prevent and react more effectively to similar attacks as happened a year ago, Kuçi emphasized that Kosovo’s security bodies have taken a big step forward by identifying almost all individuals involved in criminal and terrorist structures.
“This enables their easier monitoring and blocks their return to Kosovo. The level of preparedness has increased significantly, with an in-depth cooperation between the Kosovo Police, KFOR and EULEX, ensuring a more rigorous protection and monitoring of the borders”, Kuçi told the Telegraph.
He added that the Kosovo Police, since the resignation of members of the Kosovo Police from the Serbian community by order of Vucic, has successfully replaced them by integrating and engaging new members from all communities, including the Serbian one.
“They now patrol and perform regular duties in the north along the border with Serbia and within the territory of Kosovo. Meanwhile, NATO has increased military forces in Kosovo and intensified political attention to the situation, guaranteeing a faster and more effective response to any possible threat. These measures not only strengthen security, but also send a clear message that destabilization will not be tolerated and is easily defeated,” said Kuçi.
Kuçi said that Serbia is a threat to stability in the region and a proxy of Russia that acts in full coordination and their actions are all part of well-thought-out strategies.
“The Western community must stop the approach of tolerance and “Appeasement Politics” towards Serbia, since not the last one can repeat its actions in the framework of hybrid war on a bigger and bigger scale. As long as Hitler and Putin made mistakes with this type of policy, the same should not be repeated with Vucic,” he said.
In May of last year, Serbs in the north protested against the new Albanian presidents, who were elected in April, following a boycott of the election process by Serbs and Serbian parties.
The violence in the north prompted NATO to deploy nearly 1,000 additional soldiers. Due to the violence in the north in May of last year, but also the attack on the Kosovo Police in Banjska i Zvecani in September, KFOR increased its military presence in Kosovo and now has around 4,700 soldiers.
