Serbia wants to enter Kosovo with the army, Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vucevic has announced according to the Serbian news portal “postinfo”. 1000 members of the army have to cross the border. A similar request was made to the NATO-led peacekeeping force KFOR.
It is doubtful whether the response will be positive. In any case, American diplomats ruled out granting permission. Vucic referred to a UN Security Council resolution from 1999, in which the presence of Serbian security forces in Kosovo is mentioned as a possibility – including various restrictions. In addition, it is strictly bound by the approval of KFOR.
The backdrop to the latest tensions were plans by the government in Pristina to hold local elections in Serb-majority areas on December 18. The main Serbian party immediately announced its boycott, and when election authorities were about to start preparations earlier this week, there were shootings and explosions.