Senior Serbian Lawmaker Says US Tactics With Pristina Failing To Pacify Northern Kosovo

Pristina has not so far changed its policy of using force in northern Kosovo despite the dissatisfaction expressed by the US Department of State, Milovan Drecun, the chairman of the Serbian parliament's Committee on Kosovo and Metohija, told Sputnik on Wednesday

BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 31st May, 2023) Pristina has not so far changed its policy of using force in northern Kosovo despite the dissatisfaction expressed by the US Department of State, Milovan Drecun, the chairman of the Serbian parliament's Committee on Kosovo and Metohija, told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"For some time now, it has been said that Washington is dissatisfied with (Kosovar Prime Minister Albin) Kurti's attitude toward the US Administration, that he often does not listen to recommendations from there, and that because of this, it may come to reshuffles on the political scene in Pristina. But we see that Kurti remains in his place. Obviously, he has unlimited support from other Western countries, like the United Kingdom and Germany," Drecun said.

Drecun added that the US's reaction to the current escalation in northern Kosovo has caused a dilemma as to whether it really is a signal to Kurti to change his behavior, which will lead to the withdrawal of Kosovar security forces from the Serb-majority region, "or it is just a show" to satisfy the Serbian public and convince the world of the US's impartiality.

"If Washington really introduced some form of restrictions, denied entry to Pristina officials and demanded an immediate withdrawal from the NATO Defender Europe 2023 exercises, the question arises as to why did they not stop cooperation with the so-called Kosovo to build their armed forces? The United States is one of the four states that supply weapons and equipment, train the Kosovo Security Forces, which are supposed to grow into some sort of an army of Kosovo.

Therefore, I do not know how sincere the Washington administration is and if it is consistent in seeking a solution to this crisis," Drecun concluded.

On Monday, hundreds of Kosovo Serbs came to the local administration buildings in the municipalities of Zvecan, Leposaviq and Zubin Potok, demanding the withdrawal of Kosovar police and the removal of ethnic Albanian mayors who took office following elections with an extremely low voter turnout of under 3.5% boycotted by the Serbs. Troops of NATO's local KFOR contingent, equipped with crowd dispersal devices, were also deployed. Police used tear gas to break up the demonstrations and escort the mayors into town halls.

At least 52 Serbs were injured in Monday's clashes in Kosovo, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said. Media reported that some 41 soldiers from the KFOR contingent were also injured, while the mission itself confirmed that 25 people were injured.