Separatists in Kosovo accuse Serbia of “incitement following the example of Russia in the Donbass”
The Serbs of Kosovo and Metohija began to leave the power structures under the jurisdiction of Pristina; in response, military personnel from the de facto army of the “Republic of Kosovo” were brought into the north of the region, the PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
On Saturday, November 5, the Serbs of Kosovo and Metohija (K&M) announced that they are leaving the authorities and security forces under the jurisdiction of Pristina until the illegal decision to re-register cars with Serbian license plates is reversed, as well as until the Community of Serbian Municipalities is formed.
“Serbs are leaving all political institutions, parliament, government, four municipalities in the north of Kosovo, the judiciary, the police in the north of Kosovo,” said the chairman of the Serbian List party, Goran Rakic, and he himself announced his resignation as a “deputy of the parliament of the Republic of Kosovo.”
Goran Rakic made this statement at a joint press conference with commanders and heads of police stations in the north of the region, who demonstratively took off their police uniforms.
"Brothers and sisters! Together with our colleagues, we made a joint decision to resign from the ranks of the Kosovo Police, and may we be with our people! Enough!" – with these words, the Serbian police left the Kosovo security structure.
The Serbs entered the structures under the control of the Pristina authorities in 2013 after the signing of the “Brussels Agreement”, which provided for the creation of an autonomous Community of Serbian municipalities. This has not yet been done by Pristina, although Belgrade has fulfilled all its obligations under the said agreement, in particular, by transferring the judiciary, police, energy and telecommunications enterprises, etc. to the control of the authorities of the “Republic of Kosovo”. in enclaves in northern Kosovo.
In response, Blerim Vela, head of the administration of the president of the self-proclaimed “Republic of Kosovo” Vjosa Osmani, said that the decision to withdraw the Serbs from Kosovo institutions is reminiscent of Russia’s actions of “incitement” in Donbass in 2014. According to him, Serbia is simply forcing Kosovo Serbs to leave their positions in Pristina structures.
In addition, the authorities in Pristina sent units of the so-called “Kosovo Security Forces” (ROSU), which are actually an army created with the participation of NATO countries, to the north of Kosovo. At the same time, Pristina security forces, based on an agreement with NATO from 2013, are not allowed to enter northern Kosovo without the permission of the commander of the KFOR peacekeeping contingent and the four heads of Serbian municipalities.
Separatists in Kosovo accuse Serbia of "inciting, following Russia's example in Donbass. "