Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani has reassured of the country’s security force’s readiness to face dangers that the country is facing from Serbia but also regionally, as the nation celebrated its 15th independence anniversary over the weekend.
The small Western Balkan state has been rocked by unrest over the last year as Pristina tries to implement policies and laws to assert its independence which it declared from Serbia in 2008 following the 1998-1999 Kosovo-Serbia war. These attempts did not go down well with Belgrade or the Kosovo-Serb minority living mainly in the country’s north.
“Just like our army, which proves itself and makes us proud every time, the Kosovo Police, which recently faced increased commitment due to the developments in the north of the country, has shown commitment and determination to maintain order and law, but above all, for to maintain sovereignty in every corner of the Republic of Kosovo,” Osmani said.
“These girls and boys are the descendants of the Kosovo Liberation Army who returned and protected the dignity of our people, so thank you to each and every one of them,” she added.
Kosovo is now facing pressure to implement an agreement from 2013 to create an Association of Serb Municipalities, which is wanted by Belgrade and being pushed for by the EU and US. Pristina has refused so far as it says a mono-ethnic structure with executive powers is unconstitutional, something the Constitutional Court confirmed.
Meanwhile, Kosovo applied for EU membership in December 2022, along with membership to the international human rights organisation, the Council of Europe. Kosovo has also expressed its desire to join NATO and the UN, with Serbia vehemently opposing the latter and EU and Council of Europe membership.
As for the threat to Kosovo, Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla told the media that Serbia has been intimidating Kosovo for years and Wagner mercenaries were found on the border.
“Just in the last two years, Serbian President Vučić threatened Kosovo several times with war, even deploying troops on our border, sending warplanes, hosting the Russian ambassador for visits there, including the Russian military in the Serbian Defence Ministry, increasing military capabilities and exercises with Russia from about 10 to nearly 100 per year during 2021,” Gërvalla told the media.
“Recently, we discovered Wagner’s mercenaries on our border and arms smuggling in Kosovo. Other secret actions by Russia and Serbia are happening in other countries of the region,” Gërvalla added.
“Israel, Kosovo and other countries, small and large, must invest heavily in defence of this rules-based order. If we fail to protect our peaceful world order, we can all end up in an era of war again, but this time on a completely different, global level,” she also said
(Alice Taylor | Exit.al)
Source: euractiv.com
