Serbia Armed Forces are in a state of maximum alert, Defense Minister Milos Vicevic said yesterday. The decision has been taken to defend the Serbian population from a possible Kosovo police intervention to remove roadblocks and barricades that local Serbs have built in the last two weeks in North Kosova to protest against the arrest of three Serbs and the presence of Kosovo police and special forces.
Former US ambassador and special envoy to the Balkans Richard Grenell called on US Secretary of State Blinken to intervene. “The latest violence in Kosovo is unacceptable,” Grenell tweeted. “[Kosovo PM] Albin Kurti continues his unilateral actions in the North in violation of international agreements. Anthony Blinken must demand: Kurti release the Serbian prisoners and refrain from arresting peaceful protesters and stop sending special forces to the North – while at the same time demanding the barricades be removed. All of this should be done at the same time.”
On his side, Kurti accused “criminal” gangs of building up barricades and called on NATO KFOR troops in North Kosova to remove the barricades, adding that if they don’t do it, Kosovo security forces will.
