Kosovo’s acting Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla has accused Serbia of repeatedly violating Kosovo’s airspace with unauthorized drone flights, saying these incidents have occurred “from time to time” in recent weeks. Speaking to KTV on the second anniversary of the deadly clash in Banjska, Sveçla said the flights are under investigation in cooperation with NATO’s KFOR mission and “partner services,” but stressed that the public “has no reason to be alarmed” while inquiries continue.
Asked whether the reported drone activity was linked to KFOR’s decision to declare part of Kosovo’s energy corporation (KEK) area a no-fly zone, Sveçla declined to give a direct answer, saying only that authorities “identify critical infrastructure” and “take steps to protect it.”
Sveçla also condemned Serbia’s 20 September military parade in Belgrade, calling it a “threat” to Kosovo and the wider region. He argued that while most of Serbia’s neighbors are NATO members and not directly at risk, Bosnia and Herzegovina — facing political uncertainty — and Kosovo remain vulnerable to what he described as “an old hegemonistic policy” pursued by Belgrade under new global circumstances.
The minister further said Kosovo’s recent closure of Serbian-run institutions, which Pristina labels “parallel structures,” was coordinated with international partners, despite criticism from some quarters. All such bodies except for health and education facilities have been shut down, he said, adding that their “primary purpose was not to serve citizens but to undermine Kosovo’s institutions and sovereignty.”
Looking ahead to upcoming local elections in northern Kosovo, Sveçla emphasized that whoever wins must comply with Kosovo’s laws.
“On every centimeter of the Republic of Kosovo, order and law must prevail,” he said, warning that no official is “immune to the law” and that violations will be dealt with by competent institutions.
Two Years After Banjska Clashes: Village Mostly Deserted, Heavy Police Presence in the North
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