In response to recent unrest and the injury of 30 members of the NATO-led Kosovo Force, the alliance has directed the deployment of the Operational Reserve Forces for the Western Balkans, which was on a seven-day readiness-to-deploy status.

According to a press release of the alliance, an additional multi-national battalion of reserve forces has been ordered to decrease their readiness-to-deploy status from fourteen to seven days, in order to be ready to reinforce KFOR if necessary.

“The deployment of additional NATO forces to Kosovo is a prudent measure to ensure that KFOR has the capabilities it needs to maintain security in accordance with our UN Security Council Mandate,” said Admiral Stuart B. Munsch, commander of the Allied Joint Force Command Naples.

“I want to commend KFOR for taking swift, restrained, and professional action to intervene to stop the unrest and to save lives. The violence must stop, and all sides must stop taking actions to undermine the peace in any and all communities of Kosovo,” said Munsch.

The Allied Joint Force Command Naples is closely monitoring the situation in Kosovo, and will continue to coordinate with KFOR to ensure that they have all the capabilities and forces they need to impartially ensure a safe and secure environment and the freedom of movement of all communities according to their mandate based upon UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999.

NATO Deploys Additional Forces to Kosovo Force

In response to recent unrest and the injury of 30 members of
NATO’s Kosovo Force, NATO has directed the deployment of the Operational Reserve
Forces (ORF) for the Western Balkans, which was on a seven-day readiness-to-deploy
status.

— NATO JFC Naples (@JFC_Naples) May 30, 2023

Meanwhile, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić confirmed on his Instagram account that he will not be traveling to Bratislava, because “it is far more important being near his people”.

Sources from the European Union had mentioned Bratislava as a possible “ad hoc” meeting point between Vučić and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, as the two leaders had been invited to participate in a security conference being organized in the city.

Previously, the Government of Kosovo confirmed that Kurti had postponed the trip, due to tensions in the north.

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić called for the “protection of the Serb population in Kosovo”.

According to him, internal political affairs should not influence on Serbia’s readiness “to protect its people”.

Speaking to TV Pink in Belgrade, the head of Serbian diplomacy assessed that Kurti “does not want normalization, but escalation and conflict” and that “his goal is to expel Serbs from Kosovo”.

However, he provided no evidence for these claims.

Even though the situation this Tuesday appeared calm, the Association of Journalists in Kosovo reported that journalists following up on the developments in the north, have been the target of several attacks.

Masked persons in Leposavić attacked journalists of several media and broke a camera, while throwing hard means towards journalists. The association also reports of similar attacks towards media vehicles with which journalists are traveling in the north.

A car was vandalized in Zvečan, with the Association of Journalists raising the alarm on intensified attacks towards reporters on field.

“The conditions of the journalists, who are a continuous target of Serb protesters, is unacceptable to the Association. They are not being offered direct protection from KFOR and other international forces in that part of the country,” says an official Association announcement.

Even during Monday’s clashes, journalists were target of several attacks and media vehicles were vandalized and even burned.

Local Serbs are protesting in the north of Kosovo, on the second day in a row, to oppose the newly elected Albanian mayors in the municipalities of Zvečan, Leposavić and Zubin Potok and are requesting the withdrawal of the Kosovo Police special unit from the north.

Today’s protests seem to be ending, and citizens have been invited by officials of the Serb List to continue protesting on Wednesday.