The security situation in northern Kosovo is calm but unstable and unpredictable, according to Angelo Michele Ristuccia, the commander of the international NATO-led peacekeeping force, during a NATO meeting in Brussels.
The NATO Military Committee, the highest body of the North-Atlantic Alliance, met over two days in the Belgian capital, and the topic of Kosovo and recent unrest with Serbia was high on the agenda.
“Currently, the general security situation in Kosovo is calm but very fragile, unstable and unpredictable due to some unresolved issues”, said Ristuccia.
Admiral Rob Bauer said that KFOR troops are doing their best to maintain peace but that it is not just their responsibility because “there is a need for political responsibility” as well.
Discussions focused on the past twelve months of the mission, the security situation on the ground as well as the challenging security environment.
The Chiefs of Defence reaffirmed their commitment to KFOR’s mission: to promote a safe and stable environment and guarantee freedom of movement for the benefit of all communities in Kosovo, a NATO press release reported.
The situation in the north of Kosovo was particularly tense during December and January over the planned ban on Serbia-issued license plates, the mass resignation of ethnic Serbs from Kosovo institutions, planned but then postponed elections to replace them, and the arrest of a Serb policeman over allegations he attacked central electoral commission premises. He was since put under house arrest, significantly reducing tensions.
On 29 December, following the intervention of key international stakeholders, Serbs started removing the blockades, and some of the border crossings closed by the action reopened.
The rest of the blockades were removed by early January, but with critical issues still unresolved, fears of a repeat abound.
(Alice Taylor | Exit.al)
Source: euractiv.com
