Kosovo Seeks to Trigger Serbia – NATO Conflict, Vucic Says | News

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Monday that authorities in the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo are seeking a confrontation between Belgrade and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

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As the President said in an address to the nation, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti organized the recent clashes in the north of the province “with his strong desire for a conflict between the Serbs and NATO.”

Appealing to the international community over escalating tensions in the region, Vucic said that “the citizens of all Serbia must know that they have responsible leadership and that we will not allow pogroms and killings of our people.”

The president said he had called a meeting with representatives of the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy for May 30, amid the current tensions.

Vucic said 52 Serbs were injured and three of them are in serious condition as a result of the clashes in Serb-majority towns in northern Kosovo. For its part, NATO’s Kosovo Force, KFOR, reported that at least 25 of its soldiers were wounded.

KFOR deployed its soldiers near the municipalities of Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok with Kosovar security forces deployed behind the NATO forces.

Serbs have taken to the streets, rallying in front of the town halls to protest the appointment of ethnic Albanian mayors. It is reported that in the town of Zvecan, Kosovar police, composed entirely of ethnic Albanians, used pepper spray to repel the crowd, while in Leposaviс and Zubin Potok, citizens dispersed peacefully.

The Serbian President last week declared a state of maximum military readiness in the country’s army, which involves the movement of troops to the administrative border with Kosovo.