Drecun: Germany is trying to shift responsibility from Pristina to Belgrade

The Chairman of the Committee for Defense and Security of the Serbian Parliament, Milovan Drecun, stated that it is unrealistic to expect a more effective reaction from the international community in protecting Serbs in Kosovo, because, he claims, they are focused on fully securing the international legal capacity for Kosovo that it currently lacks. He added that they will not do anything that would fundamentally undermine Pristina’s international position, Blic reports.

According to Drecun, the German diplomat in Pristina continuously tries to "shift responsibility away from Pristina for the unilateral actions it takes against the survival and lives of the Serbian people in Kosovo and place that responsibility on Belgrade," using the same arguments employed by Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

He pointed out that although Germany officially opposes Pristina's unilateral moves and advocates for dialogue, it nevertheless provides maximum support to Kosovo and Kurti, giving him, as he says, "the strongest tailwind in carrying out those unilateral actions."

"He immediately capitalized on what happened in the village of Banjska and shifted the blame, stating that Milan Radoicic should be prosecuted. A few days ago, when Donald Trump said he would re-engage with the issue of Kosovo and Metohija to preserve peace in the region, Kurti responded by setting his own conditions for maintaining that peace. The first thing he insisted on was the extradition of Radoicic to them — these are identical statements," said Drecun.

He added that instead of sanctioning Kurti and thereby "forcing him to abandon unilateral measures aimed at the survival of Serbs," the international community is instead encouraging and motivating him.

Regarding the stance of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration toward Kosovo, Drecun emphasized that Trump’s administration has not yet taken a clear position on Kurti’s actions. He also noted that there have already been some unexpected positions from Trump, including rhetoric suggesting that he views Kosovo as a state and expects mutual recognition.

"Several members of his delegation reacted when Kurti issued conditions following Trump’s statement, interpreting them as a hostile gesture. On one hand, it is evident that his administration has a negative attitude toward Albin Kurti, but on the other hand, they continue to offer maximum support to Kosovo," Drecun said.

The German Embassy in Pristina issued a statement yesterday in which it acknowledged the recent letter from the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, who called on the European Union, its member states, and other concerned parties to halt Pristina’s escalatory actions and the planned construction of two new bridges over the Ibar River.

However, the statement also included the remark that "it is certainly not the Kosovo government that is failing to implement legal measures against those responsible for the heinous attack in Banjska."

In its statement, the Embassy, citing a German proverb, also noted that "a person must put their own house in order before constantly criticizing Kosovo for its decisions."

In response, the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, told German Ambassador Jorn Rohde that "Kosovo and Metohija are indeed the Serbian doorstep and Serbian backyard."