New tensions between Belgrade and Pristina were triggered after yesterday’s sudden visit to the north of Kosovo by President Hashim Thaci. Adding to the tension was Belgrade’s immediate and hasty reaction when they raised the threat level to its highest of the army and police, reports Meta’s correspondent in Belgrade.
Everything began when the pro-government media in Serbia reported that large forces of the Kosovo special forces had been deployed in the north of Kosovo and had seized the artificial Gazivoda Lake and had arrested more people. Then, statements from the Serbian Interior Ministry and the Serbian president added to the already tense situation when they raised the threat level of readiness of the police and the military. Police Minister Nebojsa Stevanovic said that the decision was “due to the attack by Albanians in the north of Kosovo and the arrest of Serbs” .
Then, information from Kosovo stated that special forces in the north of Kosovo who were providing security for Thaci, had come to visit the border crossing at Brnjak and had boarded a boat for 15 minutes on Lake Gazivoda and that nothing had occurred and that no arrests had been made.
However, in Belgrade, the event was assessed as a “dangerous provocation”, while the head of the Red Cross Office in Kosovo, Marko Djuric held a press conference claiming that Kosovo forces had entered Gazivoda and had arrested Serbs. He went on to accuse the embassies of Western countries of spreading false information about the withdrawal of the special Kosovo forces.
Later, President Aleksandar Vučić addressed the nation claiming that Pristina’s recent moves had threatened the peace, but that Serbia had “reacted calmly, in moderation and with restraint.” He warned that “Serbia will not tolerate violence against Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija”.
