Despite appeals from the EU and the USA, Serbia has initiated proceedings against three arrested Kosovan police officers. The Serbian public prosecutor’s office accuses them of illegal possession of weapons.
Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo continue to escalate: after three Kosovan police officers were arrested on allegedly Serbian territory, Serbian prosecutors have now initiated proceedings. According to a report by the Serbian state broadcaster RTS, the public prosecutor’s office said they were accused of illegal possession of weapons and explosives.
Appeals to Serbia
After the arrest, the USA, the EU and other Western countries appealed to both sides to take de-escalating steps. “They were either abducted or ended up in Serbia without intending to,” said Gabriel Escobar, US special envoy for Southeast Europe. “They should be released without any preconditions.”
The NATO-led peacekeeping force KFOR called on Pristina and Belgrade to “immediately reduce tensions and refrain from unilateral steps that could lead to further escalation.” KFOR controls the border and border crossings between northern Kosovo and Serbia.
different representations
Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti accuses Serbia of kidnapping the police officers. He reiterated that the three officials had been kidnapped on the territory of Kosovo. Serbian special units from the police and army have penetrated deep into the territory of Kosovo.
Kurti had already criticized on Thursday that KFOR had not issued an official statement on how to deal with the three police officers. In response to the arrest, he also announced that he would step up border controls and restrict traffic from Serbia.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denies the allegations, saying the Kosovan police officers were arrested on Serbian territory. They were armed with submachine guns. He described Kosovo as a “quasi-state”. The men had planned a terrorist attack.
Tensions have been growing for months
At the end of May, violent Kosovo Serbs attacked soldiers from the NATO-led security force KFOR. The clashes left dozens injured on both sides. The trigger for the conflict was the appointment of Kosovo Albanian mayors, who emerged from elections boycotted by the Kosovo Serbs at the behest of Belgrade.
Kosovo declared its independence in 2008. Serbia does not recognize this and demands the return of its former province. In the north of Kosovo almost exclusively ethnic Serbs live, in the rest of the country almost only ethnic Albanians.