Balkans | Serbian President Vucic “Be prepared” to order the army and police

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has reportedly ordered the army and police to “get ready” from tonight.

Defense Minister Milos Vucević stated that Vucić had instructed the Serbian Army to be “in the highest degree of readiness for war” and that this could mean armed conflict if necessary.

There is no room for panic, Vucevic said, but there is room for concern. It is clear that only Serbia believes that the problems will be solved by political agreement. The other side (Kosovo) is constantly acting on its own.” He said.

Interior Minister Bratislav Jasic noted that President Vucic had ordered the police to be “ready” and stated that the aim was to protect Serbs in Kosovo.

While the barricades erected by Kosovo Serbs in northern Kosovo since 10 December in response to the detention of former Serbian police officer Dejan Pantik have not been removed, recent events have once again escalated tensions between Kosovo and Serbia.

After Serbia sent its chief of staff to the border area, the two countries confronted each other as a result of the armed attack in northern Kosovo last night.

In response to Bantik’s detention, Kosovo Serbs have been manning the barricades they had erected at the Birnjak border crossings for 17 days since 10 December.

The European Union, NATO and the United States called for de-escalation and the removal of roadblocks in northern Kosovo.

Attack on journalists in Kosovo

Meanwhile, a local TV crew in northern Kosovo was attacked with stones by masked men.

The Association of Kosovo Journalists (AGK) responded to the stone attack by masked men against the employees of the TV “Klan Kosova” in the village of Zupesh of the municipality of Zubin Potok, where mostly Serbs live in northern Kosovo.

The statement, which said that this was the fourth attack on media workers in northern Kosovo last December, said: “Today, the team consisting of journalists Kendrisa Pelagushi and Derin Demeri, cameraman Agun Beit Laho and driver Dam Sinani were attacked with stones in the village of Zupesh. The journalist Pelagushi and driver Senani, who sustained minor injuries from the broken car glass, were taken for treatment.” Data included.

AA