Why tensions are flaring up again in Kosovo In Kosovo, there have been renewed shootings in the past week. The Kosovar government accuses the Serbian military of preparing aggression, while Serbia’s president denies the allegations. What is the conflict about? Here’s an overview.
What is currently happening in Kosovo?
The Kosovar government accuses the Serbian army of relocating military and police units to 48 forward operating bases along the Kosovo border on Friday. These units could potentially launch attacks from “three different directions.” It is also reported that air defense systems and heavy artillery have been deployed.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denied in an interview with the Financial Times that his country is planning any military actions. He stated that he would order Serbian troops to withdraw because escalation would be “counterproductive” to Serbia’s efforts to become an EU member. He emphasized that Serbia does not want war.
The situation escalated over the past weekend when, according to the Kosovar government, Serbs ambushed a police unit, resulting in the death of a police officer. Afterwards, around 30 heavily armed Serbs barricaded themselves in an Orthodox monastery in the northwest of Kosovo, near the Serbian border. Three of the attackers were killed in gunfire exchanges with the police, and a significant arsenal of weapons was found in the monastery. On Friday, the influential Kosovo-Serb businessman and politician, Milan Radojcic, claimed responsibility for organizing the action.
How is the international community responding?
The German government has warned that tensions could increase in light of the apparent reinforcement of Serbian troops along the Kosovo border. The German Foreign Office stated on the Twitter successor X that there should be “no further escalation” between Serbia and Kosovo. They called on Serbia to immediately reduce troops at the border. The Foreign Office is in intensive contact with all parties involved, emphasizing the importance of continuing the political process.
Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), Greens, and Free Democratic Party (FDP) have advocated for strengthening the NATO-led peacekeeping mission, KFOR, in Kosovo. This includes the potential deployment of additional German troops. Anton Hofreiter, a politician from the Green Party, stated to Spiegel that Germany should quickly assess, in consultation with allies, whether the KFOR mandate is being fully fulfilled and consider sending more soldiers to Kosovo.
Currently, the German Bundeswehr has 85 soldiers stationed in Kosovo. The mandate, which was last renewed by the Bundestag in May, allows for up to 400 Bundeswehr personnel on site. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Chairwoman of the Defense Committee, also told Spiegel that there is still significant room for more troops without having to alter the mandate.
The United Kingdom announced the deployment of an additional 200 soldiers. The UK stated that it would do this as part of an annual exercise and in response to a NATO request. Currently, there are 400 British soldiers on the ground, according to NATO.
The U.S. government called for the Serbian government to withdraw its reportedly stationed troops along the Kosovo border. John Kirby, the spokesperson for the National Security Council, stated that they are observing a significant Serbian military presence along the Kosovo border, including an unprecedented deployment of Serbian artillery, tanks, and mechanized infantry units. Kirby described the situation as “very destabilizing.”
Why is there a conflict between Serbia and Kosovo?
The conflict over Kosovo is centuries old. The territory holds special significance for Serbia due to the presence of numerous medieval Serbian Orthodox monasteries. Serbian nationalists also view a battle against Ottoman Turks in 1389 in Kosovo as a symbol of their independence.
However, the majority of the population in Kosovo is made up of ethnic Albanians who are predominantly Muslim. They consider the territory their own and accuse the Serbs of having oppressed them for decades.
Why did the escalation occur in the 1990s?
The status of Kosovo was a subject of long-standing dispute within the Yugoslav federation. In 1989, Yugoslav President Slobodan Miloševic annulled all the autonomy rights acquired since 1963. He downgraded Kosovo to an “Autonomous Region,” dissolved its political institutions, and cut subsidies. Albanian language education was banned, and many Kosovo Albanians lost their jobs in administration and public enterprises in the 1990s. They were excluded from political, social, economic, and cultural life.
In 1998, there was an uprising by ethnic Albanian rebels seeking to free the territory from Serbian rule. The ensuing war between the Yugoslav army, Serbian paramilitary forces, and the Kosovo Albanian Liberation Army (UÇK) claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people in Kosovo and left over a million people homeless.
Negotiations were held in Rambouillet, France, but failed. In 1999, a NATO intervention ended the war, and Serbian troops withdrew. On June 10, 1999, the United Nations placed Kosovo under the administration of the UN Mission in Kosovo. International peacekeeping troops took control.
Was the conflict resolved then?
No. In March 2004, there were major outbreaks of violence when radical Kosovo Albanians targeted the Serbian minority and Roma. At least 19 people were killed, and Serbian and international institutions were attacked and destroyed.
Following this, the United Nations expedited the independence process. In February 2008, Kosovo declared conditional independence under international supervision.
Is Kosovo now independent?
No. While more than 110 countries recognize Kosovo as a state, Serbia does not. Other countries, including Russia, China, and five EU member states (Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Romania, and Slovakia), view Kosovo’s independence as a violation of Serbian sovereignty for various reasons.
Since 2011, regular parliamentary elections have been held in Kosovo, and gradually, governmental responsibilities have been transferred to Kosovar institutions. However, Kosovo still heavily relies on international assistance. In 2020, the EU Commission noted progress in public administration and judicial reforms and the fight against corruption.
The NATO-led peacekeeping force, KFOR, remains stationed in Kosovo, but with only 3,400 soldiers. The troops also support the recruitment of the Kosovar Security Force.
What is being done to resolve the conflict?
Since 2011, the EU has been facilitating a dialogue aimed at normalizing relations between Serbia and Kosovo. The dialogue is closely connected to the regional EU integration strategy. Serbia started EU accession negotiations in 2014, while Kosovo signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU in 2015.
Some progress has been made, including freedom of movement without checkpoints and the formation of multi-ethnic police units in Kosovo. These measures were intended to dissolve Serbian parallel police and judicial structures in the predominantly Serb-inhabited northern Kosovo and integrate them into Kosovar structures.
However, last year, Serbs withdrew from the police force after the Kosovar government issued a decree banning license plates issued by Serbs. Although Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti withdrew the decree under international pressure, Serbia maintained the boycott.
Tensions persist between the Kosovar government and the ethnic Serb population, predominantly residing in the northern part of the country. Attempts by the government to exert more control there are often met with resistance. In April of last year, clashes occurred when Serbs boycotted local elections in the region, leading to injuries to 30 NATO peacekeepers and over 50 Serbian protesters.