Djuric: Kurti's irresponsible policy prepared the ground for the tragedy that occurred

Serbian Ambassador to the US Marko Djuric stated that the irresponsible policy of Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti had prepared the ground for the bloodshed that had occurred in northern Kosovo.

"The bloodshed in northern Kosovo is a tragedy that could and should have been prevented. The irresponsible policy of Albin Kurti prepared the ground for this tragedy," Djuric said to American Fox News.

Expressing condolences to the victims' families, Djuric made five accusations against Kurti's Government, including the mono-ethnic structure of Kosovo's forces in the north, non-compliance with existing agreements, terrorizing the Serb population in the north, the forced appointment of mayors in municipalities in northern Kosovo, and public rejection of negotiations on normalization with EU mediation.

Djuric also rejected reports from certain Kosovo media about the involvement of the Wagner Group, recalling the statements of the KFOR commander that there was no evidence of the presence of this mercenary group in Kosovo.

Helena Ivanov, Associate Fellow at the Henry Jackson Foundation, said that the dialogue had reached an impasse before the escalation.

"Kurti rejected the latest EU proposal, insisting that Serbia must first recognize Kosovo as independent for any progress to be made. This demand by Kurti is, of course, in contradiction to previously signed agreements that Kosovo must create a Community of Serb-majority Municipalities. The latest round of escalation will certainly not help these talks and will likely lead to further disagreements and difficulties," she added.

Fox News reported that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic condemned the violence and categorically rejected Kurti's claim that the attackers had been sponsored by Belgrade, saying that the Serbs from Kosovo had been behind the attacks.

The violence was also condemned by the Serbian Orthodox Church, stating in a press release that it was "a serious incident that can have significant consequences, and therefore it is crucial to do everything to maintain order and peace."

Prime Minister Kurti directly blamed Serbia, stating that organized criminal groups, with political, financial, and logistical support from official Belgrade, had attacked the country.

"There is no doubt that Belgrade is entirely responsible for systematically encouraging and sponsoring violence against Kosovo's democratic institutions," Kosovo's Ambassador to the US, Ilir Dugolli said to Fox News.

Dugolli stated that this fit into Serbia's recent pattern of behavior towards Kosovo.

"Belgrade orchestrated the withdrawal of the Kosovo Serbs from institutions, just as Serbia's regime refuses to dismantle illegal security structures, intimidates Kosovo Serbs from participating in elections, forces them to set up barricades, and orders attacks in which more than 90 KFOR soldiers were injured," Dugolli claimed.