Serbian President Vucic threatens to intervene in Kosovo
For years, the European Union has been trying to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia – to no avail. And the Serbian president called in a speech by NATO to protect the Serb minority in Kosovo from attacks. If not, Serbia will step in on its own.
DrSerbian President Aleksandar Vucic called on NATO to protect the Serb minority in Kosovo from attacks. Vucic said in a televised address on Sunday that if the Western military alliance fails to do the job, Serbia may have to intervene on its own. “We will protect our people from persecution and massacres if NATO does not want to do so.” The KFOR multinational force of approximately 4,000 soldiers is stationed in Kosovo under NATO command.
Kosovo seceded from Serbia in 1999 and declared independence in 2008, but this was never recognized by the government in Belgrade, nor was Serbia’s important ally Russia. For years, the European Union has tried to normalize relations between the two countries, which Brussels sees as one of the preconditions for possible membership in the alliance of nations. The crisis meeting in Brussels on Thursday ended without agreement, and involved disagreement over new rules for Serbs’ entry into Kosovo.
In his speech, Vucic claimed that “gangs” of Kosovar Albanians are invading northern Kosovo, where most Serbs live. This must stop. No evidence was provided for this. At the same time, the Serbian president also confirmed that his government will work towards a compromise in the dispute over entry rules before they come into effect on 1 September.