KFOR “cannot solve problem by removing barricades”

Serbia’s Ministry for Kosovo State Secretary Oliver Ivanovic has assessed that the situation will be more peaceful in Kosovo on Saturday. He added that a KFOR contingent that removed Serbian barricades in the village of Rudare near Zvecan had been replaced the previous night. KFOR “cannot solve problem by removing barricades” “The situation will calm down now. The contingent that started the operation was replaced last night so today we have Greeks there, we have the All Souls Day today and it will be an opportunity to see KFOR’s behavior and responsibility of the Serb leaders,” Ivanovic told Radio Television of Serbia (RTS). He assessed that KFOR could not solve the problems by removing barricades and that “for every removed barricade the Serbs can set up two new ones and this has proven to be some sort of an unspoken rule”. “This is why it is not good for KFOR to provoke and waste the energy of the Serbs and means, because the sand and gravel they are bringing cost money. It would be good if KFOR understood that the issue cannot be solved by force or by KFOR troops and it should be left to the politicians when the time comes,” Ivanovic pointed out. According to him, the Serbs are setting up barricades to protect themselves and “a possibility of some Kosovo special units getting in is absolutely ruled out by limiting the international missions’ freedom of movement”. When asked why KFOR decided to remove the barricades on Friday, the state secretary said he was convinced that “they took advantage of an institutional vacuum in Serbia ahead of the forming of the new government and tried to test the Serbs’ reaction and how much it would affect the Serbian population”. “The international community needs to know that the Serbs are motivated by fear. This fear can be removed only with solid assurance by the international community, primarily KFOR and EULEX, that they will not allow any sudden intrusions in the north or endangering of the Serbian population,” he explained. Ivanovic said that the talks between Belgrade and Pristina would continue after the new government was formed, adding that “a sustainable solution can be found there“. Oliver Ivanovic (Beta, file) Beta RTS

KFOR “cannot solve problem by removing barricades”

“The situation will calm down now. The contingent that started the operation was replaced last night so today we have Greeks there, we have the All Souls Day today and it will be an opportunity to see KFOR’s behavior and responsibility of the Serb leaders,” Ivanović told Radio Television of Serbia (RTS).

He assessed that KFOR could not solve the problems by removing barricades and that “for every removed barricade the Serbs can set up two new ones and this has proven to be some sort of an unspoken rule”.

“This is why it is not good for KFOR to provoke and waste the energy of the Serbs and means, because the sand and gravel they are bringing cost money. It would be good if KFOR understood that the issue cannot be solved by force or by KFOR troops and it should be left to the politicians when the time comes,” Ivanović pointed out.

According to him, the Serbs are setting up barricades to protect themselves and “a possibility of some Kosovo special units getting in is absolutely ruled out by limiting the international missions’ freedom of movement”.

When asked why KFOR decided to remove the barricades on Friday, the state secretary said he was convinced that “they took advantage of an institutional vacuum in Serbia ahead of the forming of the new government and tried to test the Serbs’ reaction and how much it would affect the Serbian population”.

“The international community needs to know that the Serbs are motivated by fear. This fear can be removed only with solid assurance by the international community, primarily KFOR and EULEX, that they will not allow any sudden intrusions in the north or endangering of the Serbian population,” he explained.

Ivanović said that the talks between Belgrade and Priština would continue after the new government was formed, adding that “a sustainable solution can be found there“.