Novakovic: The main security challenge in the north is isolated incidents due to Kosovo Police actions

We have not seen any indication that any group from Serbia is preparing an attack on the north of Kosovo, but what can certainly happen are isolated incidents due to the actions of the Kosovo Police in the northern areas, which may occur with individuals who are not part of any organization, and that is, in my opinion, the main security challenge in the coming months, Igor Novakovic from the Center for International and Security Affairs says.

Commenting on the claims made by Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti two days ago that new attacks are being prepared in the north of Kosovo, carried out by members of a group involved in the conflict in Banjska on September 24, Novakovic says that Kurti sends such messages for several reasons, with the primary one being his appeal to voters in Kosovo.

"The second reason is to send a message to the international community as a reminder that what Pristina demanded, namely, to prosecute those responsible for Banjska in a certain way, has not happened so far. This serves as a form of pressure," Novakovic notes.

Regarding Kurti's warnings, Novakovic emphasizes that there is no precise information that could suggest it is close to the truth.

"We have heard the same sentence several times in the last three months, that they believe there is a real possibility of intervention from Serbia, which I think is not the case at the moment. We have not seen any indication, apart from the public strengthening of the presence of forces in parts of Serbia closer to Kosovo, which does not suggest what Kurti said, that Milan Radoicic or any other group is preparing an attack on the north of Kosovo," Novakovic adds.

He mentions that he cannot speculate on how seriously Kurti's claims are taken in the West, but it is evident that KFOR has taken the incident on September 24 in Banjska very seriously and has drastically increased its forces in the north.

"It seems to me that such an attack would be very difficult to occur. I think no one has an interest, primarily because of the presence of KFOR. However, what can certainly happen are isolated incidents due to the actions of the Kosovo Police in the northern areas. These incidents may occur with individuals who are not part of any organization, and that is, in my opinion, the main security challenge in the coming months because it can lead to a new instability," Novakovic concludes.