Drecun: Investigation of the conflict in Banjska crucial for dialogue and the West's attitude towards Belgrade

President of the parliamentary Committee for Kosovo and Metohija, Milovan Drecun, says that the key issue for the situation in Kosovo is how the investigation into the conflict in Banjska will end and whose version will be accepted, RTS reports.

"If the results of our investigation are accepted, we will have a calming of the situation," Drecun says, emphasizing that Pristina is trying to use the situation against Belgrade, pointing out that no one is talking about elections in the north anymore, nor about the CSM.

Drecun said that the course of events would depend on what the investigation into the Banjska conflict showed, stressing that the key issue was whose version would be accepted because both Belgrade and Pristina were conducting investigations.

"Belgrade is conducting an investigation, and that is very good. An investigation was immediately initiated, Milan Radoicic was arrested, he was brought in. This investigation already shows that the weapons were procured outside of Serbia, that these are illegal channels, and that it is arms smuggling. If this investigation gives results and if the results of that investigation are accepted, if it is shown that the state of Serbia is not involved in all of this, it will be a very good step as far as we are concerned," Drecun says.

However, he points out that the investigation is also being conducted by Pristina, and, he claims, some US officials are also involved in it.

"The outcome of the investigation will trace the further path both in terms of the dialogue in Brussels and in terms of the political West's attitude towards Belgrade, i.e., towards the state of Serbia. If the results of that investigation are accepted in the political West, the results of our investigation, then we will have a calming of the situation," Drecun says.

He is convinced that Pristina will try to use the entire situation against Belgrade and the Serb List.

"Now you see, no one is talking about new elections in northern Kosovo anymore. You can see that even officials of the unrecognized Pristina administration are talking about how the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities is simply unnecessary, that it should not be formed, that it is redundant because their so-called Constitution guarantees the position of minorities," Drecun said.

In that context, he also points out that Vjosa Osmani, in an interview with CNN, said that in the coming days, she would present evidence that President Vucic had allegedly ordered the group from Banjska what they should do.

"They are now preparing an additional campaign, preparing the fabrication of some alleged evidence, and this shows that through Radoicic they want to get to President Vucic, i.e., to the state of Serbia, because they have accused President Vucic, Defence Minister Vucevic, and Border Police chiefs of being the ones responsible. On the other hand, they want to eliminate the political activities of the Serb List and thus break the political unity of the Serb List," Drecun says.

He points out the responsibility of the Western political actors for Pristina's behavior - both for the terror against the Serbs and for the current crisis.

The President of the parliamentary Committee notes that Kurti's attempts to gain control of northern Kosovo "and make the Serbs living in the north integrate into a false state" show that he does not know these people, their will, and their determination to oppose that.

"He is trying to establish police and military control and complete the takeover of northern Kosovo, and now only the entry of the so-called army being formed in northern Kosovo is missing, and he is preparing for it. I think that this is very much to his advantage now, because he is constantly trying to present the north as some kind of den of criminal and terrorist groups, and he needs the help of these formations of the so-called KSF, Kosovo Security Forces, for that," Drecun said.

He also expressed concern about a recent statement from Pristina that the consent of the KFOR Commander for the entry of Kosovo Security Forces into the north would soon be unnecessary.

"This is the perfect opportunity for him to request the entry of at least a special anti-terrorist unit of the KSF into northern Kosovo in the coming period under the pretext of carrying out some counter-terrorism measures," Drecun said.

He believes that there is strong Western activity underway to constantly send a message that measures against Belgrade are possible if a connection with the events in Banjska is shown.

Commenting on the role of the West, Drecun says that Germany is in favor of, as he says, resolving the status of Kosovo by hook or by crook, while the United States has a more balanced approach.

He also notes that the services of Great Britain are very active in this area.

"For example, how could they, in Pristina, obtain information that this group would be staying, for example, in the area of the village of Banjska and all that, to set a trap for that group? It seems that someone has already managed to obtain some information through intelligence work," Drecun said and reminded of the statement by a British MP about the Serbian Orthodox Church.

He emphasizes that the political goal is the same - that Kosovo is a state for them, and they believe that they should have control over the entire territory.

Drecun emphasizes that the most important thing for resolving the Kosovo issue is whether the Serbs can survive in Kosovo and how to define their status.

He claims that this is being discussed with the Americans, while he says that Germany is not interested in it.

He points out that the crisis in northern Kosovo is the result of Pristina not fulfilling its obligations from the Brussels Agreement and not suffering any consequences for it.

He reminds that 10 years have passed, and the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities has not been formed.