Crisis in Kosovo: Vučić recalled that Russia was not always with Serbia
The Serbian government unanimously decided to demand the return of Serbian security forces to the province of Kosovo and Metohija captured by Albanian separatists. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced this in an address to citizens of the country on the evening of December 15, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
According to the Serbian President, the demand has already been sent electronically, and on the morning of December 16 it will be transferred to the KFOR command (international forces led by NATO responsible for ensuring stability in Kosovo - approx.) This will be done at one of the checkpoints on the administrative border between central Serbia and the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija (KoM).
“According to UN Security Council Resolution 1244, our forces must return to Kosovo. The presence of our forces is important for the safety of Serbian citizens in Kosovo and Metohija, our forces must also control the administrative checkpoints Jarine and Brnjak,” said Aleksandar Vucic.
At the same time, he noted that he expects a negative answer from KFOR.
The decision of the Serbian government was a kind of response to the actions of the authorities of the self-proclaimed “Republic of Kosovo”, who officially applied for candidate status for EU membership. On December 15, “Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo” Albin Kurti handed over the corresponding document in Prague to Mikulas Beck, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, which currently holds the EU presidency.
There were no comments on this matter from the EU institutions, including at the European Council summit in Brussels. However, a unique response was the agreement on a visa-free regime for citizens of the “Republic of Kosovo” from January 1, 2024, which was announced in Brussels on December 14. At the same time, five EU member countries do not recognize the “Republic of Kosovo”. These are Spain, Slovakia, Romania, Greece and Cyprus.
Answering a question about possible Russian support for Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic replied that Serbia is grateful to Russia for its support in the UN Security Council, especially in 2015 (then the Russian Federation blocked a draft British resolution accusing the Serbs of organizing “genocide” in Srebrenica - approx.).
At the same time, the Serbian leader said that there are always difficulties in international relations, and recalled that Russia in 1992 imposed sanctions against Yugoslavia, supplied weapons to Croatia and supported the independence of Montenegro.
Earlier in the day, Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko said that the West was twisting the arms of the Serbian leadership in Kosovo.
“Against the backdrop of meetings in Belgrade and Pristina of Western emissaries - the American Escobar and the EU special representative Lajcak, who are trying, as stated, to find solutions to the current aggravation of the situation in Kosovo, the Pristina elite openly and defiantly continues the line of taking control of the northern part of the region populated by Serbs. And he doesn’t think about backing down. The question arises about the real goal of the Westerners. It looks like once again we are trying to twist Belgrade’s arms,” the head of the Russian diplomatic mission said in a statement.
At the same time, the situation in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, populated mainly by Serbs, continues to remain tense. Barricades installed by the Serbs remain on the roads for the sixth day, the crossings into central Serbia “Jarine” and “Brnjak” are closed. KFOR military personnel are on duty near the barricades and checkpoints.
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