Serbia found itself in an extremely difficult situation, declared the country’s president, Aleksandar Vucic, after a meeting of the National Security Council. He also accused Pristina and Washington of barely respecting the agreements.
Vucic’s comments came as tensions flared between Serbs and Kosovo authorities in the northern part of the breakaway region, where Serbian protesters erected barricades over the weekend.
This confrontation is nothing less than an “attempt to end the Serbian problem in Kosovo,” Vucic stressed, accusing Pristina of being responsible for the tensions and accusing a “good part of the international community” of “participating” in terms of the Kosovo authorities.
At the international level, information about the situation in Kosovo is full of “direct falsifications, blatant lies,” the president said, adding that “on the ground we have a difficult struggle of a people for survival.”
Vucic urged Serbs in northern Kosovo to “be calm and peaceful and not fall for provocations.” The president notably asked them to refrain from any aggressive measures against EULEX and KFOR, the EU and NATO-led missions respectively, stationed in Kosovo.
He also said Belgrade had received “assurances” from KFOR that it would not take “violent actions” against protesters. “We will do everything to preserve peace and stability,” he added.
At the same time, Vucic accused the United States of siding with Kosovo against Serbia by not respecting the agreements reached with Belgrade. Washington nurtured Kosovo like a “child” for around 20 years, the president said, asserting that the United States is now “protecting” it: “I have a question for our American partners: what agreements Pristina respects- and which ones are Americans respected? »
Tensions were already high after Pristina announced snap elections in the region, which are expected to be boycotted by all Serbian parties.