Why is the extreme Albanian wing announcing conflicts right now and putting Nis and Raska on the "wish list"?
Kosovo was ready for war if its integrity and sovereignty were violated, and in the event of a conflict with Serbia, it would also fight for Nis, Kursumlija, Raska, and Sandzak, representative of the Democratic Party of Kosovo Hysen Berisha warned a few days ago, after the visit of the EU Special EU Envoy, Miroslav Lajcak to Pristina and the discussion on the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities. As incredible as that statement sounds, such warmongering rhetoric indicates that the situation on the ground is extremely tense and requires maximum attention from Western mediators.
The readiness for war, and especially the places that are on the wish list of former prominent KLA member Hysen Berisha, at the same time testify to the Greater Albanian ideology that is undoubtedly present in today's Kosovo politics.
All this is happening at a time when the EU is trying to create conditions for the continuation of the dialogue, which Pristina is blocking, still not wanting to accept the implementation of the Brussels Agreement from 2013 regarding the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities.
With this approach and threats, it seems that the maximalist and exclusive position of Pristina has no chance of change.
Berisha: We are ready, in case of war with Serbia we will also fight for Nis, Kursumlija, Raska and Sandzak
Retired general Vladimir Lazarevic, former commander of the Pristina Corps, tells Kosovo Online that Serbia has no intention of going to war and that the statement of Hysen Berisha is nebulous.
"This is a terrorist who changed his clothes only, the ideology remained the same, extremely Islamist, and it has been going on for 24 years. Even their mentors kept them on the list of terrorist organizations until the spring of 1998, and in all the UN resolutions on Yugoslavia, the KLA is named as a terrorist organization. Berisha's statement is warmongering and as far as I have seen he would also like Nis, Raska, and Kursumlija. What is interesting is that this statement appears at this very moment, during the visit of EU Envoy, Miroslav Lajcak, where he warns and mentions some 70,000 fighters who are ready for war," Lazarevic says.
The former commander of the Pristina Corps states that Serbia has no intention of going to war, nor of allowing Pristina to persecute the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija.
"Those statements certainly do not contribute to the normalization of relations for which the EU stands. In the end, what I can conclude is that it is a synchronized move by that terrorist who jumps on the train that has been going round and round since 2008 and the unattainable dream of an independent Kosovo that they can't achieve even with all the help of their mentors. Now it's up to the EU and the US to force them not to add fuel to the fire and promote new war conflicts in our region," Lazarevic concludes.
Kosovo analyst Fadil Lepaja pointed out for Kosovo Online that Hysen Berisha was an opposition MP, and that his statement about the war should be taken in that context.
However, as he stated, this did not mean that many in Kosovo did not share Berisha's opinion, adding that, regardless, Kosovo would not start a war under any circumstances.
"I think that Mr. Vucic, Serbian politicians, and Serbian generals are aware that Kosovo is no longer what it was 25 years ago. Kosovo will not start any war under any circumstances, but if Serbia does, it will not be a war between Kosovo and Serbia, but a war between the West and the East, and that war would be fought outside the territory of Kosovo because the Serbian army does not have the capacity to wage war against everyone in the Balkans, and that would be a war against everyone," Lepaja emphasized.
According to him, some politicians are trying to lobby for outdated ideas and methods that are neither European nor democratic, neither acceptable for Albanians nor for Western political and military structures.
"That is why it is best to ignore such statements, not to give space to low passions and belligerent statements from any side. Kosovo does not want war but will stand for equality and reciprocity in mutual relations with Serbia. We wish Serbia a European path, and development because from rich, open, and democratic Serbia in the neighborhood, Kosovo can only benefit," Lepaja said.
As he stated, instead of warmongering messages, we should think about the joint participation of the soldiers of Serbia and the KSF in NATO missions.
"We sincerely want Serbia to turn to Western, European values, peace, and democracy, and instead of thinking about war, to think about our soldiers participating together in peacekeeping operations around the world as part of NATO forces or other international institutions. I think that the negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia are on the right track and that politics, at least not the official one, should not wave war flags and warlike rhetoric," Lepaja concluded.
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