The European Union stated to Radio Free Europe that the decision of the Kosovo Government to declare the “Civil Protection” and the “Northern Brigade” as terrorist organizations is a “unilateral step” that, according to the bloc, does not contribute to reducing tensions.
On 29 June, the Kosovo Government declared these two organizations as terrorist. It is believed that they operate in the northern part of Kosovo and have hundreds of members from the Serbian community, which is the majority in this area.
“This classification [declaration as terrorist organizations] is a unilateral step and does not contribute to easing the situation and finding a sustainable solution to address the existing problems,” said European bloc spokesperson Peter Stano in a response to Radio Free Europe.
Stano added that the leaders of the 27 EU member states, during a meeting held last week, called for an immediate easing of the situation in northern Kosovo.
“We reiterate the call to both parties to refrain from any actions or rhetoric that could further escalate tensions and urgently take steps to de-escalate the current situation in northern Kosovo in line with the proposal made by High Representative Josep Borrell on 22 June and the EU declaration of 3 June,” Stano said.
The US Department of State also told Radio Free Europe earlier that Kosovo did not coordinate with them or other Western partners regarding the decision taken on the “Civil Protection” and the “Northern Brigade”.
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti argued that the “Civil Protection” and the “Northern Brigade” pose a “serious and direct threat to constitutional order and security in Kosovo”.
According to him, these two organizations have carried out actions “with terrorist elements”, such as armed attacks against members of the Kosovo Police, members of the European Union Rule of Law Mission – EULEX, and NATO troops in Kosovo, KFOR.
Kosovo authorities clarified that the decision to declare these two organizations as terrorist will not affect anyone who may have committed criminal acts prior to this decision.
According to the law in Kosovo, when organizations are declared terrorist, their activities are immediately prohibited. Any further activity by them would have serious legal consequences.
Since the end of the war in 1999, illegal structures supported and financed by the Serbian state have been operating in Kosovo.
One of them is the “Civil Protection”, which became public in 2011.
The “Civil Protection” in Serbia operates under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and its role is to respond to emergency situations such as floods, earthquakes, and the like.
Its dissolution was foreseen in the agreement reached between Kosovo and Serbia in 2015, as part of the dialogue for the normalization of relations.
Meanwhile, in August 2022, graffiti with the logo and inscription “Northern Brigade” in Serbian appeared in the northern part of Kosovo.
In addition to graffiti with its logo on various roads and objects in the northern part of Kosovo, it is not known who is behind it, if there are active members, and what their role is.
The declaration of the “Civil Protection” and the “Northern Brigade” as terrorist organizations comes at a time when tensions in northern Kosovo have increased.
Since the end of May, Serbs in Zvečan, Leposavić, and Zubin Potok have been protesting against the appointment of new Albanian mayors working from municipal buildings. They are also demanding the withdrawal of special units of the Kosovo Police from the north.
Since then, several incidents with shock-bombs and hand grenades have been reported in the north, and on 29 May, protesters clashed with KFOR troops in Zvečan. Dozens of people from both sides were injured in these clashes.
The international community has called on Kosovo and Serbia to take immediate steps to reduce tensions in the north. Kosovo is being asked to organize new elections in the four northern municipalities, while Serbia is being urged to persuade Serbs to participate in the electoral process.
