Serbia to investigate killing of policeman in northern Kosovo
BALKAN (Sept. 28, 2023 -update Sept. 30, 2023) — Serbia to investigate killing of policeman in northern Kosovo.
Serbia will investigate the events that led to a gunbattle at a monastery in northern Kosovo that Pristina has blamed on Belgrade, President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday, denying any government involvement in the incident.
Kosovo police fought around 30 heavily armed Serbs who barricaded themselves into the Serbian Orthodox monastery in the village of Banjska for hours on Sunday. Three attackers and a Kosovo Albanian police officer were killed in the skirmishes.
Serbia considers Kosovo as its integral part and, with the backing of a number of countries, including United Nations Security Council veto-wielding members Russia, China and five EU members, refuses to recognise its independence.
Belgrade finances schools, public health system, and most of other institutions in parts of Kosovo where Serbs constitute a majority.
Vucic accused Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti of wanting to expel Serbs from Kosovo and of stalling a compromise solution needed for mending the ties between Belgrade and Pristina.
“The cause of all problems in Kosovo is Albin Kurti. He is the one who brought about all of this,” he said.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Secretary Blinken and President Vucic discussed the importance of taking immediate measures to de-escalate tensions with Kosovo in the wake of the September 24 violence and death of a Kosovo Police Sergeant. The Secretary underscored that those responsible for the attacks who are now in Serbia must be held accountable. The Secretary voiced his support for the actions of KFOR and EULEX in responding to this event, noting that incidents like those near the Banjska Monastery present unacceptable challenges to KFOR and the international community, and welcomed KFOR’s increased presence and the North Atlantic Council’s decision to authorize additional forces. The Secretary reiterated Serbia must accompany immediate de-escalation with full implementation of its commitments under the normalization agreement within the EU-facilitated Dialogue.
