Balkans | NATO denies allegations of arms smuggling from Serbia to Kosovo

NATO’s peacekeeping force in Kosovo (KFOR) stated that it had no evidence of allegations of arms smuggling from Serbia into Kosovo and that Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) sites were being used by Serbs to stockpile weapons.

The KFOR statement said: “The alleged presence of illegal weapons was reported to KFOR headquarters, but after further investigation to confirm this, no evidence has emerged. There is also no evidence of allegations of ambulances being smuggled into Orthodox churches across the Kosovo-Serbia border line.” “. Data included.

The statement stressed that such actions are the responsibility of the security institutions in Kosovo.

The Archdiocese of Rashka Prizren of the Supreme People’s Assembly also issued a statement asking KFOR to investigate the allegations. And the public service will not be able to continue its activities.

On the other hand, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, said at the cabinet meeting that they are investigating the accuracy of the allegation that weapons were transported in ambulances in the north of the country.

Alicia Cairns, Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee in the British Parliament, claimed in her speech in Parliament yesterday that weapons were smuggled from Serbia to Kosovo with the help of ambulances and stored in Serbian Orthodox churches.

Tensions continue in northern Kosovo

On May 26, Kosovo Serbs protested against the election of Albanian mayors who won local elections on April 23 in the municipalities of Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposavić, where Serbs are concentrated in northern Kosovo.

There was a clash between the Kosovo police, who were sent to the area to protect the Albanian mayors, and the Kosovo Serbs.

Serbia detained 3 people, proven to be members of the Kosovo police, in the border area of ​​the two countries on the grounds that they were “planning an action in Serbia” on June 14, while Kosovo claimed that the police had been “kidnapped”. From Serbia. Serbia released the Kosovo police on June 26.

While the Kosovo police arrested about 10 Kosovo Serbs for various reasons, Serbia demanded that these people be released as soon as possible.

The main cause of tension between the two countries, which come face to face from time to time, is expressed in Serbia’s vision of Kosovo, which unilaterally declared its independence in 2008, as its own territory.

Within the scope of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue process, initiated with the mediation of the European Union in 2011, efforts are being made to find a common way to normalize relations and eventually the two countries get to know each other.

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