That is why we requested Point 11 in the agreement, whereby the international community shall provide solid guarantee that the situation in northern Kosovo would not change until 15 September
According to the Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanovic, statement issued by the Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuqi that the northern Kosovo could soon witness "an action aimed at establishing law and order even before 15 September" – the expiry date of the verbal agreement between KFOR Pristina and Belgrade to resolve the crisis in this part of Kosovo – isn’t the first such statement since the onset of crisis. Even though its target audience could be the local public, we take such messages from the Government in Pristina very seriously, Bogdanovic said in his interview for the Politika daily.
- While working on achieving the agreement with KFOR, we put forward to them the danger of Pristina making another unilateral attempt at taking over the administrative crossings, and that if that were be the case, KFOR should react. That is why we called for the Point 11 in the agreement, whereof the international community should provid solid guarantee that situation would not change until 15 September. Nevertheless, we remain on standby – even when we dismantled the barricades we did not disband the crisis staffs, and people remained on the alert, and continued to monitor the situation. This was evident two days ago in Lesak, when the KFOR and EULEX tried to confiscate the dredge without presenting any written documents, said Bogdanovic.
So, in your opinion steps announced by Kuqi are actually possible?
It’s not easy to discuss the precise modus they would apply to go about it. But we have to take the rhetoric coming from Pristina seriously. At least us living in Kosovo. Our experience has taught us to be careful and keep monitoring the situation.
Would the state of Serbia be ready in such a case?
We are ready, definitely, even though I want to believe that it would not come to pass, that this is all about pleasing the local audience. If you think back, you’ll remember that when the agreement was reached, they went on about how they had customs officers at administrative border crossings, and that they had the Kosovo Police Service - but none of that amounted to anything.
And how would Belgrade react?
Certainly not by force because as you know we don’t have any army or police down there. That is why we insist on respecting Resolution 1244, and that KFOR, mandated with protecting all citizens of Kosovo and Metohija, shall forestall any unilateral actions, preserving peace and stability not only in the north of Kosovo, but also in the south. Not a day passes by without an incident south of the Ibar river, Serbs being attacked.
Kuqi has been issuing statements saying that it is certain that "following September 15 the rule of law and control over customs points would be established". What do you expect to happen after the 15th September?
Again, it’s not easy to delve into what is going to happen, but what is certain is that we will not allow for the Kosovo state to grow roots in the north. We will not allow Kosovo customs officers at the administrative crossings, while at the same we are in favor of exercising control, paying VAT. But the revenue would surely not go into the budget of Pristina, and thus have us who do not recognize the state of Kosovo, financing it. We will surely not allow that to happen.
Are you afraid that the ANA, the Albanian National Army, could indeed be reactivated by the end of September, in line with their stated threats, if the Government in Pristina fails to establish full control, as they dubbed it, in the north?
Experience has taught me, and everyone else here over the past 12 years, that these threats were achieved or partially achieved in the past. Therefore it is with great concern that we follow statements coming from that terrorist organization. And that is why we were to quick to react with the KFOR – they must undertake certain steps to protect all Serbs in Kosovo.
What was the answer you received, that they were "considering" ANA?
Their answer was that they are looking after everyone, that it is them in charge of security, that they would do anything to avoid such developments... However, us, the people in Kosovo-Metohija, must be vigilant and take such statements very seriously, since they are very dangerous and only lead to destabilization of the situation in Kosovo.
B. Bakovic