“Kosovo poses biggest security threat to Serbia”

Serbian Army (VS) Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Ljubisa Dikovic says that the situation in Kosovo is sensitive and that it could become even more complex. “The situation is stable in other parts of the country. The most important thing that the citizens should know is that the VS is prepared and capable of responding with its missions and to protect the country’s interests and security,” he told daily Vecernje novosti. “Kosovo poses biggest security threat to Serbia” When asked what the biggest security threats to Serbia were, Dikovic said: “A possibility of a classic military conflict has been reduced, primarily due to determination of all the countries in the region to go through the EU integration and their commitment to mutual cooperation, so according to our estimates, security challenges for Serbia and the region are various types of extremism and organized crime”. He stressed that the VS was monitoring all the events in the region that could affect Serbia’s security, adding that it had good cooperation with the neighboring countries. “The biggest security challenge for Serbia is Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence. Rest assured that we will adequately react to every attempt to spread the crisis from the province to the territory of central Serbia in accordance with decisions and authority,” Dikovic was quoted as saying. He noted that the VS had a plan for potential new instabilities in northern Kosovo. “The Army has a crisis prevention plan and it is capable to fulfill its constitutional role. As far as Kosovo and Metohija is concerned, KFOR is the main authority according to the Military-Technical Agreement, and I am sure they can respond to such challenges. There is a possibility that the instability will overflow into central Serbia but we have the power and ability to prevent such attempts and protect the citizens,” the VS chief of the general staff told the daily. Lt.Gen. Ljubisa Dikovic (Tanjug, file) Vecernje novosti

“Kosovo poses biggest security threat to Serbia”

When asked what the biggest security threats to Serbia were, Diković said:

“A possibility of a classic military conflict has been reduced, primarily due to determination of all the countries in the region to go through the EU integration and their commitment to mutual cooperation, so according to our estimates, security challenges for Serbia and the region are various types of extremism and organized crime”.

He stressed that the VS was monitoring all the events in the region that could affect Serbia’s security, adding that it had good cooperation with the neighboring countries.

“The biggest security challenge for Serbia is Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence. Rest assured that we will adequately react to every attempt to spread the crisis from the province to the territory of central Serbia in accordance with decisions and authority,” Diković was quoted as saying.

He noted that the VS had a plan for potential new instabilities in northern Kosovo.

“The Army has a crisis prevention plan and it is capable to fulfill its constitutional role. As far as Kosovo and Metohija is concerned, KFOR is the main authority according to the Military-Technical Agreement, and I am sure they can respond to such challenges. There is a possibility that the instability will overflow into central Serbia but we have the power and ability to prevent such attempts and protect the citizens,” the VS chief of the general staff told the daily.