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Things between Serbia and Kosovo have not escalated so violently in a long time: On Sunday, thirty heavily armed men appeared in the Serb-dominated north of Kosovo and surrounded the Orthodox monastery in the town of Banjska. The militiamen killed a police officer from Kosovo. Kosovo police shot dead at least three of the attackers. The crisis came to an end for the time being on Sunday evening.
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti (48) accuses the Serbian government of this “Terror attacks” against Kosovo to carry out. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (53), on the other hand, accuses the Kosovo government of constantly provoking his people. Experts warn that there may be more to the attack. And Switzerland could also be indirectly involved in the conflict.
First of all: the identity of the attackers is still unclear. Kurti’s accusation that Belgrade sent the militiamen remains speculation. But even though the militiamen come from northern Kosovo, which is predominantly Serb-inhabited, and not directly from Serbia, the attack by uniformed men in armored vehicles is strongly reminiscent of the 2014 invasion of Donbass by pro-Russian separatists.
Putin wants an unstable Balkans
And just like Russian President Vladimir Putin (70) at the time, Serbian President Vucic now claims: it wasn’t us!
Konrad Clewing, Balkans expert at the Leibniz Institute for Eastern and Southeastern European Research in Regensburg, urges caution with this statement: “The Serbian government has supported the creation of extremist structures among the Serb population in northern Kosovo in recent months. ” The government wants to portray itself to its own public as the guardian of the Serbian nation and undermine Kosovo’s international position, Clewing told Blick.
Whether Putin has a direct hand in this remains speculation, Clewing emphasizes. But: “Russia is very interested in spreading instability in the Balkans and thus weakening NATO in the Southeast European hinterland.” It is also entirely possible that Russian and Serbian intelligence services are directly supporting extremists among Kosovo Serbs.
The risk of escalation is zero, says expert
Daniel Bochsler, Swiss professor of political science at the University of Belgrade, tells Blick: “Vucic maintains good ties with Russia, also to be able to play the West against the Kremlin.” Serbian militias could have carried out the attack on Sunday without Russian support.
Bochsler does not believe the conflict will escalate further. A further escalation would be “above all a war by Serbia against the KFOR, that is to say against NATO troops, of course also with the Swiss contingent. No one involved wants that,” says the professor.
Swiss Swisscoy units in Kosovo were not affected by the attack on Sunday. Banjska is outside Swisscoy’s operational area, a spokesperson explains when asked.
Swiss army members could receive an evacuation order
However, Switzerland could now be indirectly involved in the conflict. For example, if members of the Swiss Swisscoy forces in Kosovo were called up as part of the so-called freedom of movement detachment to clear roadblocks set up in the conflict zone. Switzerland has supported the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo with its own units since 1999. There are currently 195 Swisscoy members stationed in the Balkan country.
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
