President Aleksandar Vucic’s fiery televised address to his nation followed the breakdown of political talks between the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo earlier this week brokered by the European Union in Brussels. Serbia, along with allies Russia and China, refused to recognize Kosovo’s declaration of independence in 2008. A NATO-led intervention in 1999 ended the war between Serbian forces and separatists in Kosovo and halted a bloody crackdown. of Belgrade against the majority of Kosovo Albanians. The EU has overseen years of unsuccessful talks to normalize its relationship, saying it is one of the key conditions for Kosovo and Serbia to eventually join the 27-nation bloc. “We have nowhere to go, we are cornered,” Vucic said. “We will save our people from persecution and pogroms if NATO does not want to do it.” He also argued that Kosovo Albanian “gangs” should stop crossing into northern Kosovo, where most of the Kosovo Serbs live. He offered no evidence for the claim. There are widespread fears in the West that Russia could encourage its ally Serbia into an armed intervention in northern Kosovo that would further destabilize the Balkans and divert at least some world and NATO attention from Russia’s war in Ukraine. Nearly 4,000 NATO-led peacekeepers have been stationed in Kosovo since the 1998-99 war, and any armed intervention there by Serbia or Russia would mean a major escalation of a simmering conflict in Europe. After EU-brokered talks collapsed, NATO peacekeeping troops in Kosovo have been deployed on main roads in its north, saying they are ready to protect freedom of movement for all sides. Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared again last month when the Kosovo government led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti said Serbian identity documents and vehicle license plates would no longer be valid on Kosovo soil. Serbia applies the same measures to citizens of Kosovo who have been in Serbia for the past 10 years. Minority Serbs in Kosovo reacted angrily to the proposed changes, setting up barricades, sounding air raid sirens and firing guns into the air and in the direction of Kosovo police. No one was injured. Under apparent pressure from the West, Kurti postponed the measure’s implementation by a month to September 1, when more trouble is expected if a compromise is not reached by then. Vucic said Serbia would “work hard” to reach a “compromise solution in the next 10 days” and accused Kosovo’s leadership of being “only interested in removing any trace of the Serbian state in Kosovo.” Vucic also claimed, again without evidence, that the Kosovo government wanted “the permanent removal of the Serbian people from Kosovo” — something that has been repeatedly denied by Kosovo officials. Kosovo Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla visited Kosovo police units near the northern border with Serbia on Sunday, saying he hoped there would be no problem when the new measures start on September 1. “Our common interest here is that this land is ours and we will not give it up at any cost,” he said. __ AP writer Jovana Gec contributed.
title: “Serbia Warns It Will Protect Kosovo Serbs If Nato Doesn T " ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-27” author: “Michael Beltran”
Serbia’s president called on NATO on Sunday to “do its job” in Kosovo, or say Serbia itself will move to protect its minority in the breakaway province. President Aleksandar Vucic’s fiery televised address to his nation followed the breakdown of political talks between the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo earlier this week brokered by the European Union in Brussels. Serbia, along with allies Russia and China, refused to recognize Kosovo’s declaration of independence in 2008. A NATO-led intervention in 1999 ended the war between Serbian forces and separatists in Kosovo and halted a bloody crackdown. of Belgrade against the majority of Kosovo Albanians. The EU has overseen years of unsuccessful talks to normalize its relationship, saying it is one of the key conditions for Kosovo and Serbia to eventually join the 27-nation bloc. “We have nowhere to go, we are squeezed,” Vucic said. “We will save our people from persecution and pogroms if NATO does not want to do it.” He also argued that Kosovo Albanian “gangs” should stop crossing into northern Kosovo, where most of the Kosovo Serbs live. He offered no evidence for the claim. There are widespread fears in the West that Russia could encourage its ally Serbia into an armed intervention in northern Kosovo that would further destabilize the Balkans and divert at least some world and NATO attention from Russia’s war in Ukraine. Nearly 4,000 NATO-led peacekeepers have been stationed in Kosovo since the 1998-99 war, and any armed intervention there by Serbia or Russia would mean a major escalation of a simmering conflict in Europe. After EU-brokered talks collapsed, NATO peacekeeping troops in Kosovo have been deployed on main roads in its north, saying they are ready to protect freedom of movement for all sides. Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared again last month when the Kosovo government led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti said Serbian identity documents and vehicle license plates would no longer be valid on Kosovo soil. Serbia applies the same measures to citizens of Kosovo who have been in Serbia for the past 10 years. Minority Serbs in Kosovo reacted angrily to the proposed changes, setting up barricades, sounding air raid sirens and firing guns into the air and in the direction of Kosovo police. No one was injured. Under apparent pressure from the West, Kurti postponed the measure’s implementation by a month to September 1, when more trouble is expected if a compromise is not reached by then. Vucic said Serbia would “work hard” to reach a “compromise solution in the next 10 days” and accused Kosovo’s leadership of being “only interested in eliminating any trace of the Serbian state in Kosovo.” Vucic also claimed, again without evidence, that the Kosovo government wanted “the permanent removal of the Serbian people from Kosovo” — something that has been repeatedly denied by Kosovo officials. Kosovo Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla visited Kosovo police units near the northern border with Serbia on Sunday, saying he hoped there would be no problem when the new measures start on September 1. “Our common interest here is that this land is ours and we will not give it up at any cost,” he said. —- AP writer Jovana Gec contributed.
