Hogard: I am concerned about the safety of Serbs in Kosovo, with the purchase of "Rafales," Serbia is strengthening its sovereignty

Žak Ogar
Source: Kosovo Online

Retired Colonel Jacques Hogard, the former commander of French special forces during the KFOR mission in 1999, expressed his concerns in an interview with Kosovo Online about the fate of Serbs in Kosovo, stating that the goal of the unilateral actions by the authorities in Pristina is to force them to leave. At the same time, he assessed that Serbia, by purchasing French "Rafales," has demonstrated that it is on a European path, with a clear desire to preserve not only its identity but also its sovereignty.

How do you comment on the series of unilateral actions by Pristina in northern Kosovo?

I believe this is a new provocation by what I consider to be the illegitimate power in Pristina. The aim is to create psychological conditions to take control of the entire territory, particularly the northern part of the Ibar River, and to encourage the Serbs to leave. The goal is to scare the Serbs so that they leave. I believe that is the real objective.

One of the demands is the opening of the bridge on the Ibar between South and North Mitrovica.

You know, it is evident that they want to take over and control the northern part of the province, and I repeat, to encourage the Serbs to leave and move towards central Serbia.

Are you concerned for the safety of the Serbs?

Yes, of course, we should be concerned about the safety of the Serbs in Kosovo. We know the entire tragedy that began in 1999, including what happened in 2004. But it is still happening today. Recently, last year, it was clear that there is nothing democratic about the government in Pristina. It is essentially totalitarianism, a force that does not accept differences, whether they are Serbs, Roma, or Gorani... They do not accept them.

It was precisely the French special forces under your command that played a key role in 1999 when Albanians attempted to take over the northern part via the main bridge on the Ibar. What do you remember from that period?

We were the first French soldiers in Kosovska Mitrovica, and that was at the end of June. We encountered a very sensitive situation, with many riots following NATO's bombing of Serbia and Kosovo. At that time, we had to find a concrete solution to separate the Serbs from the Albanians and the Albanians from the Serbs. I didn’t have any grand idea; it was pragmatic realism. I used the Ibar River as a demarcation line between the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica, which was predominantly inhabited by Serbs, and the southern part of the city, which was largely occupied by Albanians. So, it was a very clever solution, but also a very simple and pragmatic one for that time. Today, things are different because NATO and the EU have supported Pristina, the Albanian government. Now, it wants to use this position, and as I’ve said before, it wants to remove the Serbs from the north, not just from Mitrovica but from the entire territory north of the Ibar River.

How do you see the future of Kosovo?

The future of Kosovo is, of course, tied to the future of the Balkans and Europe. Whether it will be peace or war, we don't know today. But the situation in Kosovo has perhaps been changing since 1999. The only solution that guarantees peace in this province and around it is a return to UN Security Council Resolution 1244. It is still in force but is not being respected. So, if the balance of power between the U.S. and Russia becomes more equal, that could change the situation for Serbia and Kosovo. But it is evident that if Russia, as it is today, had been like this in 1999, Kosovo would never have been lost. The situation would have been completely different, but Russia at that time was not capable of stopping the process. Now, things are different. I think we are witnessing the emergence of a world of equals. Of course, this is difficult and is causing conflicts, as we see in Ukraine and Gaza. It’s essentially the same problem.

Serbia is acquiring French "Rafales." How do you assess this move by the government in Belgrade?

For the Serbian Air Force, I think it is a good investment to have these fighters. They are very good aircraft. What should be particularly emphasized is that German aircraft were not chosen, as Germany prefers American fighters like the F-35. This means that European defense and security are not just about what is happening today; it's much more complex than that. I hope that all our decisions will protect our sovereignty, the sovereignty of every European country, yours and mine. It is very important to defend our identity, our sovereignty, and not to fall under the influence of the U.S. or NATO. That is my personal advice.