Concern grows over security situation in northern Kosovo

(Patria) - European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano said the European Union (EU) is concerned about the security situation in northern Kosovo and is monitoring the situation very closely.

„Of course, we condemn all violent incidents and attacks. The EU and its member states call for accountability and de-escalation because that is necessary, primarily for the sake of the local citizens,“ Stano said.

He added that EULEX and KFOR have their roles to „provide a second or third level of protection.“

„They are on the ground and constantly patrolling and monitoring the situation. The focus should of course be on normalising relations between Belgrade and Pristina, because that is key for the European path of both sides, but also on de-escalating the situation on the ground, which the EU and its partners constantly reiterate, most recently at the summit in Tirana,“ Stano recalled.

Members of the Kosovo Police from regular units, of Albanian ethnicity, entered the northern part of Mitrovica on Thursday evening, with the aim, as stated, of increasing their presence in parts of the city where ethnically mixed populations live.

On the other hand, the president of the Organisation of Veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), Faton Klinaku, stated, regarding the announcement by the Director of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo, Petar Petković, that Belgrade would consider the return of up to 1,000 members of security forces to Kosovo, that this organisation would respond with war.

As Kosovo media report, Klinaku said that war is "inevitable."

"As Kali said that war is just, inevitable and necessary, let us respond again with a just, inevitable and necessary war," Klinaku wrote on social media alongside a post with Petković's photo.

Petković stated that Belgrade would consider, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244, the return of up to 1,000 members of security forces to the territory of Kosovo.

This statement by Petković came after the Kosovo Police entered the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica.