After the intervention by Kosovo Police special units to regain control over Gates 1 and 31 at the border with Serbia, on member was shot in the head by a sniper. All dailies report that opposition parties, civil society organizations, MPs and different committees have expressed support for the government’s intervention in the north and called on it not to back down. That police have managed to maintain control over the two gates but that a member of the special police passed away last night in Pristina Hospital as a result of head injuries from what is believed to have been sniper fire in an ambush near a Serb town Zubin Potok.
Daily paper Koha Ditore carries the front-page headline Executing sovereignty in the north claims life of a police officer. Law enforcement authorities have managed to deploy Kosovo customs officials and border police officers at Gates 1 and 31 in the northern part of the country, but it is not known if the intervention was successful as one police officer died and four others are injured.
There are unconfirmed sources that say that there was an armed clash between ROSU units and groups of Serbs mobilized from parallel structures. The Serbian state which has maintained control over the north for 12 years, deployed numerous armed members of the Serbian Gendarmerie. Sources from northern Kosovo told the paper that hundreds of Gendarmerie members took up positions in certain locations. Serbs have blocked all roads leading to the two border crossing points with Serbia.
Kosovo Assembly Speaker Jakup Krasniqi and the heads of most parliamentary groups said on Tuesday that the police operation to regain control over Gates 1 and 31 is fully supported by constitutional order.
Despite statements by EU representatives that the police intervention in the north was rushed and not harmonized with the international community, MPs insisted that local institutions should not back down from controlling the two gates which were a source of smuggling and corruption since the declaration of independence. They also argued that both the Constitution and the applicable laws support restoring control over the two gates.
Madam Presidnet Atifete Jahjaga states on State Television as the right decision that has full support of the population. She supported the action of the Government. “It is a rightful decision that has the full support of the population and all political parties in Kosovo, and also the international support, because it is a sovereign and legitimate right of the state to have control over its entire territory,” said Jahjaga. She added that since Serbia withdrew from the last round of discussions without any reason and risked three other agreements that the delegations agreed upon, there is no other alternative except for the Republic of Kosovo, through legal and lawful means to extend its authority and govern its entire territory, and to fight smuggling and organized crime, one of the preconditions for integration in the European Union for Kosovo.
While PM Thaçi in a press conference said that “We acted rightfully, there is no turning back. He adds that he would not back down from his decision to establish control at Gates 1 and 31. “I have said that our partnership with the international community should be saved, however the Constitution and sovereignty of my country are sacred to me and go beyond any partnership and loyalty. Last night’s decision by the Government is a clear demonstration of our determination for law and order, and a clear demonstration of our will to fight crime and corruption in every corner of Kosovo,” said Thaçi in a 12 minute speech.
ICO supports the Government action in the north. The International Civilian Organization (ICO) is the only international mission in Kosovo to officially support the Government in its actions in the north. ICO spokesman Andy McGuffie said that as in every sovereign country, the government has the right to take steps to ensure proper administration, including the control over its borders and customs.
“Now it is of great importance to resolve this issue peacefully and through discussions and negotiations. No one will gain any advantage through violence. We also encourage the government to accompany its efforts for establishing administrative control in its territory with determined efforts to support its citizens in the northern part of the country,” McGuffie added.
French ambassador to Kosovo Zhan Fransoa Fitou supports the decision of Kosovo institutions by stating that “Kosovo takes responsibility”.
Zhan Fransoa Fitou announced that the decision of the Government should be respected because it is its right to take such decisions. “We should respect it, like it or not,” said Fitou for Radio Dukagjini. “This decision has created a new situation and we should live with this situation. It is necessary to ensure peace,” he said. “I am convinced that organized crime will not be imported or exported from Kosovo given this new situation. The best possible thing would be for trafficking to stop now,” said Fitou. He also suggested EULEX and Kosovo’s Government sit and discuss how best to implement the Government’s decisions.
U.S. regrets action wasn’t coordinated with international community. State Department issued a statement regretting that the action by the Government of Kosovo to take control of border crossing points in the north was not coordinated with the international community.
“We call on the governments of Kosovo and Serbia to continue to work urgently to deescalate the situation. The U.S. strongly welcomes the actions of NATO’s peacekeeping force in Kosovo to deescalate the situation and for working on creating a safe and secure environment and we will continue to support KFOR and other international stakeholders in this task,” read the statement.
The U.S. State Department called on all parties to refrain from using violence. “The free movement of goods between Serbia and Kosovo should be addressed in the EU-facilitated dialogue. Unilateral actions by both parties – the unilateral embargo by Serbia on Kosovo products in 2008 and Kosovo’s latest decision for reciprocity measures, after both parties failed to reach an agreement on normalizing customs, has resulted in this dead-end road. We have faith in the EU management involved in dialogue and we call on both parties to immediately return to the negotiating table.”
Thus, representatives of the European Union said the action by Kosovo authorities to bring under control Gates 1 and 31 was not useful. “The action was not carried out in consultation with the international community and the EU has not endorsed it,” said the EU representative in Kosovo, Fernando Gentilini, in a statement yesterday.
Meanwhile, Maja Kocijancic, spokeswoman for EU High Representative Catherine Ashton told Radio Free Europe that the EU would like the situation to cool. “It is crucial for the situation to be calm and to return to where we were. Our rule-of-law mission EULEX is ready to assist Kosovo authorities in this direction. Dialogue is the only way to resolve the issue of customs stamps and to reestablish free trade in both directions,” Kocijancic said.
On the other hand UNMIK condemns violence in the north. Several dailies report that UNMIK officer in charge Robert Sorenson expressed deep regret over the situation in northern Kosovo and called on all parties to restrain from any action that could further aggravate the situation. Through a press release, Sorenson condemned the violence adding that dialogue based on mutual respect is the way to solve matters.
“UNMIK is ready to assist in efforts for calming the situation. We call on all parties to work with EULEX and KFOR in reestablishing order and solving issues through discussions and mutual understanding,” Sorenson added.
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