German Embassy: Concerned about politicization of KSF presence in the North, this is not a moment for political gains

The German Embassy in Pristina stated this evening that it is "deeply concerned" about attempts to politicize today’s deployment of members of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) at Lake Gazivode, which took place with KFOR’s authorization and solely for humanitarian purposes. The embassy stressed that the tragic death of the young man should not be used as an opportunity for political point-scoring.

"The German Embassy is deeply concerned by efforts to politicize today’s deployment of the KSF’s Specialized Search and Rescue Team at Lake Gazivode – an operation enabled by KFOR fully in line with its mandate and approved by the KSF Commander strictly for humanitarian purposes. The tragic loss of a young man’s life should be a moment of collective mourning, not an opportunity to score political points," the statement said.

The embassy also pointed out that statements by some political actors portraying this mission as "the first KSF operation in northern Kosovo" misrepresent both the intent and the spirit of the deployment.

"Equally concerning are reports of manipulated images – in particular, the removal of visible elements accompanying the KSF – used to promote a misleading narrative," the German Embassy noted, adding that such actions risk undermining public trust and distracting from the humanitarian focus of the mission.

The German Embassy reiterated its full support for KFOR and its mandate and expressed sincere appreciation to all KFOR and KSF personnel who participated in today’s search operation.

"Their professionalism and cooperation serve the public good and are a reminder of what can be achieved when institutions work together in the service of human dignity," the statement concluded.

Members of the KSF joined the search this morning for the body of the young man in Lake Gazivode, with KFOR’s permission. The operation concluded this afternoon, when the body was found and recovered. The 33-year-old man had jumped from a bridge into the lake on Sunday afternoon and did not resurface. Witnesses alerted the authorities, and the search had been ongoing since.