Situation in Kosovo: The Serbs have installed new barricades. Belgrade and Pristina are raising troops
On the eighteenth day of Serb protests in Kosovo and Metohija, they set up new barricades in the north of the region, this time in the main city of the Serbian enclave, Kosovska Mitrovica, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
On the morning of December 27, in response to the increased combat readiness of the “Kosovo security forces” and the purchase by the authorities in Pristina of heavy equipment to demolish the barricades, the Kosovo Serbs erected two new ones - in Kosovo Mitrovica itself and at the entrance to the city.
At the same time, in the southern part of Kosovo Mitrovica, populated predominantly by Albanians, stickers appeared calling for a boycott of Serbian goods.
“Kosovo Prime Minister” Albin Kurti previously called the Serbian protest “Wagner’s barricades” and the Serbs “bald people with beards in dark uniforms who adore the Kremlin and the Wagnerites.” In his opinion, it is impossible for the Serbs in Kosovo to set up barricades themselves, and “Belgrade is behind this.”
At the same time, on December 27, Kurti confirmed that KFOR [the NATO-led international force responsible for ensuring stability in Kosovo] asked for additional time to demolish the barricades, but “it’s a matter of a few days.”
According to him, the Pristina authorities will take matters into their own hands if the KFOR mission does not do so.
The night before, by order of the President and Commander-in-Chief of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, the forces of the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Army were put on high alert. According to TV channel N1, the Serbian army has deployed long-range howitzers and MLRS, as well as a contingent of military police two kilometers from the Jarine checkpoint on the administrative line with Kosovo.
Earlier, the newspaper “Evening News”, close to the Serbian authorities, reported that 1500 soldiers of the “Kosovo security forces” (de facto army) are in full combat readiness and could invade the north of the region at any minute.
Around midnight on December 26, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with Serbian Patriarch Porfiry and discussed the situation in Kosovo and Metohija. According to unofficial information, the Serbian leader requested the blessing of the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church to protect the Serbian people in the region.
As PolitNavigator reported , the head of the Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs threatened to forcibly remove Serbian barricades in the north of the region.
English version :: Read in English : The situation in Kosovo: Serbs have erected new barricades. Belgrade and Pristina are bringing in troops.