For all practical purposes, the response from Kosovo and Metohija does not seem to have been accommodating, with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti having immediately labelled Serbians in Kosovo seeking reassurance on security as “criminals.” Likewise—and again, the timing is highly questionable—Kosovo police have begun patrolling Lake Ujman/Gazivode, with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stating that the border lake is under “complete control” of Kosovo police, which flies directly in the face of a recent Brussels push to enable freedom of movement between the two states.
In what appeared to be a reaction to the patrols, Vucic called a national security meeting, set to take place Sept. 10, which while ostensibly slated to address energy concerns is seen as being focused on moves by Kurti and the Kosovo government.
Meanwhile, despite Vucic’s critics, it does appear that he is currently being hit by all sides, with Vucic planning to visit Slovenia to discuss outrage over the fact that the Slovenian government has recognized Kosovo’s independence. This is coming at a time when the opposition People’s Party has also hounded, for right or wrong, Vucic and Serbia’s current government over the current alleged ineffectual talks between both countries.
The Serbian People’s Party may only have approximately 4 percent support, but it is vocal, with Jeremic wanting to see current Kosovo jurisdiction over Northern Kosovo to be ended and handed back to Serbia, with People’s Party head Vuk Jeremic stating that the Kosovo-Albanian side has either refused or proved unable to follow through on fair governing in Kosovo and Metohija.
Jeremic has for years been against recognition of Kosovo as a separate state, having said in the past that this would happen over “his dead body.” He is also against sanctions on Russia.
Photo credit: Medija centar Beograd, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
