„It is urgent for both Belgrade and Pristina to take immediate steps towards de-escalate in line with the EU’s three-point plan, but this has not yet happened,“ NATO’s Assistant Secretary-General said in Pristina on Wednesday. He noted a „decline“ in Pristina’s coordination with Euro-Atlantic structures. Gofus also revealed that on May 29th, during the clash between Serbs and KFOR, 93 members of this mission were injured, adding that this is the highest number of KFOR casualties in a single day since ’99. He called on Belgrade and Pristina to immediately implement the two agreements – the Basic Agreement from February, and the The Implementation Annex from the Ohrid Agreement.
Assistant Secretary General of NATO Tomas Gofus visited Kosovo yesterday. After several meetings in Pristina, including separate meetings with the Kosovo Prime Minister and President, and a visit with KFOR soldiers in the north, he addressed media from Pristina.
Journalists were not allowed to ask questions.
„Despite repeated calls from NATO and the broader international community to both – Belgrade and Pristina, we have seen no progress towards de-escalation. This endangers the safety and security of all people in Kosovo as well as that of NATO personnel,“ said Gofus.
He recalled the fact KFOR members have been on duty for years to ensure a safe and secure environment in Kosovo.
„These are the same men and women who on May 29 suffered unprovoked and unacceptable attacks, leaving 93 of them wounded, some of them severely,“ claimed this senior NATO official, adding that:
„This is the highest number of KFOR casualties in a single day since 1999. This is absolutely unacceptable and cannot happen again. NATO made its position clear also to the Serbian authorities.“
This is the first time that the figure of 93 injured KFOR soldiers has been mentioned.
According to initial information shared by KFOR immediately after the conflict in Zvecan on May 29 between citizens and members of this mission, 30 soldiers were injured, 11 members from the Italian contingent and 19 from the Hungarian contingent, of which, as previously announced by KFOR, three sustained gunshot wounds. On the other hand, over 50 Serbian demonstrators suffered injuries.
This is the first time that NATO has given the figure of 93; at the time, NATO representatives had stated that around 40 soldiers had been injured.
After yesterday’s speech by the Assistant Secretary General of NATO, KFOR spokesman Andrea Gallieni told KoSSev that the figure of 93 injured soldiers is not a mistake and that it is updated and confirmed information.He explained that after the investigation was carried out, it was established that some soldiers sustained minor injuries, resulting in the final number of all soldiers who suffered both minor and serious injuries reaching 93.
The KFOR soldiers are doing a „tremendous and have proven indispensable“ especially during the current crisis, the official claimed They will take all necessary steps to „implement their mandate impartially, and remain ready to intervene if the situation requires.“
According to Gofus, „false scenarios“ regarding KFOR are also unacceptable. He, however, did not provide further details as to what this refers to.
Responding to our inquiry to KFOR to elaborate on these alleged “false scenarios“, the public information office of the NATO mission emphasized that they were not referring to any specific cases, but to the general context when the role of KFOR was interpreted outside of „impartial treatment“ when it comes to providing a „safe and secure environment in accordance with the mandate given to them by Resolution 1244“.
In addition to the role of KFOR, Gofus stated that it is crucial for „Kosovo and Serbia to engage constructively in the EU facilitated dialogue“.
It is urgent for both Belgrade and Pristina to take immediate steps towards de-escalation in line with the EU’s three-point plan. It is also essential that both sides appropriately coordinate actions on the ground and respect existing agreements
Timely and meaningful cooperation is of key importance, said Gofus, stressing that he underlined this at his meetings.
Speaking about cooperation with the Kosovo side, he said that „effective cooperation“ is „how Kosovo demonstrates that it can be an effective security partner“ to NATO.
„Unfortunately, we have seen a decline in our practical and political coordination. This runs counter to the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the Kosovar people,“ says this official.
He expressed his „strongest expectation“ that all agreements with NATO will be honored and implemented.
It is essential to ensure that strong cooperation between NATO and institutions in Kosovo is not derailed
He says that he came to Pristina to underline the need for “steadfast commitment to a peaceful and stable Kosovo and Western Balkans region.”
„This is a critical moment for security on our continent. Russia has brought back war to Europe with its illegal invasion of Ukraine. The people of Kosovo and the whole Western Balkans region know only too well the horrific cost of war. No one should risk another conflict in Europe, undermining the peace and stability gained with so much sacrifice,“ Gofus concluded.
At the end of his speech, Gofus reiterated that KFOR continues to provide a safe and secure environment in accordance with the mandate of the United Nations Security Council 1244 of 1999.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
