Russia condemns deployment of Kosovo’s Special Forces to Serbian border
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called Kosovo’s “demonstrative invasion” to the north the region inhabited by Serbs as provocation. The purpose of this provocation is “to intimidate Kosovo Serbs and exert pressure on Serbia”, said Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Zakharova said that Russia condemns “the passive behavior of the International Forces for Kosovo (KFOR), which have not taken any action”. She noted that these forces must ensure security in the region under the mandate of the UN Security Council.
“This irresponsible behavior of Kosovo authorities can lead to a new bloodshed in Kosovo and destabilization in the Balkan region as a whole,” said Zakharova. According to her, forceful attempts to establish control over the regions inhabited by Serbs will lead to incitement of inter-ethnic tensions.
On September 29, the Serbian Army was put on full alert by the order of Aleksandar Vucic, the president of the country. The reason for such a decision was the situation on the administrative border of Serbia and the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija. 60 members of Kosovo’s Special Police Forces approached Lake Gazivoda, which supplies water to the Gazivoda electrical power plant. They also occupied the Ecology and Sports Development Centre at Zubin Potok town. The Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs claimed that the Special Forces detained “Serbs who did not commit any crime”.
Later, the media reported that the actions of the Special Forces were related to the visit of Kosovo’s administration head Hashim Thaçi to Gazivoda Lake.
The Serbian president announced that during this meeting with his Russian counterpart, he was planning to ask him for advice and support “at all international forums”. Aleksandar Vucic said that the situation in Kosovo will be a priority among the issues he will discuss with Vladimir Putin.