Dacic: Nobody will be on Pristina's side when they defy the whole world

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivica Dacic, stated today that the Serbian state leadership had reacted strongly, quickly, and effectively to the complex events in northern Kosovo, and he assessed that the only way to achieve de-escalation is to return the situation to the state it was in before the elections, RTV reports.

Dacic praised the US positions regarding the latest situation in the north and their clear warning to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti that he must form the Community of Serbian Municipalities.

"I think now both the US and the EU are upset that Kurti has complicated the situation and provoked conflicts with unilateral moves," Dacic said, reminding that these unilateral moves were a reflection of Kurti's government, which led from one escalation to another.

Instead of normalization, we have constant de-escalation, Dacic said, adding that Pristina is used to being the favorite of the West and has never faced a policy where someone threatens them.

As he added, he is now interested in what those who voted to initiate the procedure for Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe think, as they claimed that it was a form of reward for Pristina.

According to him, there is a possibility of pressure on Pristina, and the US administration speaks about it.

"Nobody will be on Pristina's side when they defy the whole world," the Serbian Foreign Minister said, adding that the US administration has some steps it can take, such as denying them visits, participating in certain joint programs related to security forces, or withholding financial arrangements.

When asked if all these measures could lead to de-escalation, especially considering French President Emmanuel Macron's statement that the elections were a mistake, and whether it is possible to return the situation to the state it was in before the elections, Dacic said he believes that is precisely the only way to achieve de-escalation.

"We are falling into the trap of talking about de-escalation without discussing the cause, and the cause is Kurti, who will always come up with something else. Nobody talks about the CSM and the essence of the problem; instead, the focus is on how to exert pressure. The situation is really complex, primarily because due to inaction, we have found ourselves in a position where we have incidents with KFOR, with whom we have a professional relationship," the minister said.

He reminded that the irony was that the KFOR contingent included members of the Italian contingent, to whom Serbs are grateful for protecting churches and monasteries, as well as the Hungarian contingent.

He attributed this to the KFOR command, whose task is to prevent the arrival of special forces in the north without the consent of the Serbs and the forced entry into municipalities.

"We have no ambition or goal to wage war with KFOR or to cause destabilization. Our goal is to have peace and for Serbs to fight for their rights to survive and remain living in Kosovo and Metohija, and in that regard, we will not allow the pogrom of Serbs. That is the only dividing point that can separate us from how Serbia will behave in the future. We have shown readiness and seriousness that if there are no other options, we will protect our people, and we hope it will not come to that," he stated.

When asked if there is a possibility of consensus with the opposition, which claims that the government is inert and demands a special parliamentary session to be scheduled, Dacic said that the behavior of the opposition shows immaturity.

He emphasized that there should be unity in the political scene regarding this important and highly national issue.

"This issue, as well as other crucial and vital matters such as the fight against violence, should not be exploited for political purposes. It is important that every political action of ours supports the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija," Dacic said.