Petkovic: Together with Kosovo, Turkey is the most responsible party for threatening peace and stability in the Western Balkans

Turkey, alongside Pristina, bears the greatest responsibility for the most direct threat to peace and stability in the Western Balkans, Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said.

Speaking to TV Informer, Petkovic said that the news about the delivery of several thousand “Sky Dagger” drones represents “the most direct threat to peace and stability in the region” and shows that Turkey has chosen to intensify the situation instead of cooperation, seeking to assert itself as the dominant power in terms of support and presence, thereby directly endangering Serbia and the entire Western Balkans.

He reminded that this goes against everything that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has been fighting for through various initiatives, namely, to overcome historical disputes through economic progress and regional stability.

Petkovic stressed that Turkey’s behavior is not new, calling this “the last straw.”

“You know well that in 2023, Turkey delivered Bayraktar drones, which are stationed at airports in Djakovica and Podujevo. Kurti also signed an agreement with Turkey to build an ammunition factory and a laboratory for producing simple drones. All this shows that Turkey is seriously arming Kosovo,” he emphasized.

According to Petkovic, the manner in which Turkey is doing this clearly represents a threat to Serbia.

“Kurti is not arming himself to attack Albania. On the contrary, he is forming alliances with Albania and Croatia, in violation of the sub-regional arms control agreement. He is not threatening Bulgaria, which seeks to join that alliance, nor Montenegro, which recognized Kosovo. This is a direct threat exclusively to Belgrade. We see very well everything Turkey is doing in Kosovo and Metohija,” he said.

Petkovic also pointed to the composition of KFOR, noting that while the United States previously had the largest presence, Turkey now leads.

“They now have more than 780 troops, and Ozkan Ulutas has again been appointed as KFOR commander, something that has not happened until now. This shows the level of Turkey’s influence; it controls Kosovo’s energy sector, banks, and more,” Petkovic stated.

He warned that the drones delivered to Kosovo are serious offensive weapons, designed for attack.

“When we strengthen our defense system, we do so to protect ourselves and deter aggression. That is a completely different perspective from what Kurti is doing,” Petkovic said.

Referring to the way the drones were delivered, by air, he questioned what KFOR is doing, given its mandate to control Kosovo’s airspace.

Petkovic stressed that Kurti is doing everything to drag Serbia into a war with NATO.

He warned of difficult times ahead, as “it is now visible what Kurti is doing,” while Serbia is striving to preserve peace and protect its people, who are surviving under impossible conditions.

He recalled that the Kosovo Protection Corps was transformed into the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) in 2009, and that in 2018, Pristina’s parliament adopted the decision to form a Kosovo army, in violation of internal regulations, since Serbian community votes were required and the Serb List had voted against.

“When Kurti arms himself or forms illegal military alliances, no one reacts,” Petkovic said.

He added that, during the dinner between President Vucic and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Vucic directly asked how it was possible for two NATO members to form a military alliance with a provisional entity. a territory that is not a state, without NATO’s reaction. The response, he said, was that they were hearing about it for the first time.

“That only proves that we must rely on ourselves, on our own strength. That is why it is so important that President Vucic, both as president and before that as prime minister, has worked tirelessly to strengthen our army, invest in our systems, acquire equipment, and build our defense capacities. Everything achieved so far was on display at the magnificent military parade. But when such parades are held in Zagreb or elsewhere, they are called a celebration, and when we do it, it is seen as a threat,” Petkovic noted.

He also questioned whether anyone would call it a threat that Kurti is welcoming a thousand kamikaze drones, which are lethal weapons designed to eliminate enemies, and attack Serbs and central Serbia.

Petkovic reminded that Pristina signed an agreement with Turkey to build an arms factory, has already allocated €205 million for the KSF, and that Kurti announced a defense budget increase to €1 billion.

Asked whether Kurti actually has that money, Petkovic said: “It is obvious that someone is funding him. Even among Albanians, not everyone supports what he’s doing, as many have left Kosovo since visa liberalization took effect, and youth unemployment stands at 60 percent.”

“He has neither the funds, nor a government capable of preparing such a budget, nor a parliament to approve it. It is clear that someone serious is helping Kurti to arm himself,” Petkovic added.

He reiterated that the delivery of Turkish drones to Pristina directly violates UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and the Military-Technical Agreement, both of which prohibit rearmament and require demilitarization of military and paramilitary forces in Kosovo.

“That is explicitly stated, but no one seems to care. Turkey is violating it directly,” he said, noting that Belgrade will address the international community, raise the issue in the UN Security Council, and continue responding “most actively,” as it already has since last night.

He also pointed out that when Belgrade requests the return of up to 1,000 Serbian troops to Kosovo, the answer is always no.

“But everything is apparently possible for Kurti and those who threaten Serbia and the Serbian people,” Petkovic concluded.

Taking part in the local elections and voting for the Serb List is of crucial importance

Petkovic once again emphasized the importance of Serbs turning out for Sunday’s local elections, pointing out that Turkey, by delivering drones to Kosovo, has clearly involved itself in the pre-election campaign, trying to help Kurti, since the drones were delivered three months ahead of schedule and just four days before the elections.

“It was deliberately timed so that Kurti could triumphantly welcome the drones and boast about this deadly weaponry. That is precisely why, because of the terror and pressure that Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija are enduring, because of the so-called mayors who tried to change the ethnic structure in the north and alter the reality on the ground, it is crucial that Serbs turn out in large numbers and vote for the Serb List, which is the guarantor of the Serbian people’s survival in Kosovo and Metohija. The Serb List and ballot number 170 are guarantees of continued major infrastructure projects and financial support,” Petkovic said.

He stated that the Serb List is supported by Belgrade, by President Vucic, and by the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, because it has shown that it stands solely with its people.

“There are other so-called Serbian parties, but they look toward Pristina, Kurti is their boss. The Serb List’s only boss is the Serbian people, and its eyes are set on Belgrade,” the head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija stressed.

He added that this is why, for days, he has been talking to internally displaced persons from Kosovo, urging them to respond to the call to vote in the local elections. According to him, all that is needed is their good will, and the Serbian state will organize everything else, enabling them to travel to Kosovo and cast their votes for the Serb List.

Petkovic said that, following the example of Albanians who always unite on key national issues despite differences, Serbs too should stand together, show strength, resist Kurti’s pressure, and defend their institutions.

He explained that by winning the elections, the Serb List would allow Serbs to return to their municipal buildings in the four northern municipalities, restart halted projects, and continue their work.

He underlined that it is also important to confirm victory in six municipalities south of the Ibar River and to continue the fight for the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM).

“As for Kurti’s threats to shut down healthcare and education institutions, the best answer to that is Vucic’s announcement that Serbia is approving 400 new jobs in the healthcare sector. That is a major and important move. If you add to that all the healthcare positions created since the COVID period, that is almost 2,000 jobs. We are also increasing salaries, pensions, social benefits, meal allowances… For the first time this year, all socially vulnerable and unemployed people with no income from the Serbian state, about 10,000 in total, will receive 20,000 dinars per month. Every one of our people living in Kosovo and Metohija will have income from Serbia, which is a further motivation for them to stay,” Petkovic said.

He reminded that President Vucic, in his address before the UN General Assembly, stated most clearly that Serbia will never recognize Kosovo’s independence.

“We are fighting for peace, for dialogue, for compromise, but we will never recognize Kosovo. That is why Vucic and Serbia are under such strong attacks,” Petkovic said.

“Even if Belgrade wanted to, it couldn’t ‘interfere’ in elections in Kosovo, it’s a southern Serbian province, an integral part of Serbia. That is nonsense. The one interfering is Kurti, because he wants his own blockers to come to power, people who would, in the end, recognize Kosovo’s independence. But that won’t happen, because the Serbian people elect their leaders at the ballot box, not on the street,” Petkovic added.

Responding to an observation that US support for Pristina has waned, Petkovic said that was a rational position.

“Everything Kurti has done – attacks on the Serb List, attempts to ban it from elections, efforts to decapitate our people politically, the shutdown of institutions, blocking the CSM, his escalation – all of that was the last straw that led the US to suspend dialogue with Kosovo. It has caused Kurti serious damage,” Petkovic said.

He noted that the situation in Kosovo remains uncertain, as Kurti is unlikely to have a parliamentary majority to form a new government — he might not even have support to constitute the Assembly.

“I fear that soon after the local elections, we’ll see snap parliamentary elections. We’ll see whether Kurti remains in power, since even many Albanians no longer support him,” he added.

Petkovic also recounted that during a meeting in Brussels with Kosovo’s chief negotiator Besnik Bislimi, he pointed out that due to Kurti’s policies and pressure, 20% of Serbs have left Kosovo, to which Bislimi replied that Albanians are also leaving.

“I told him the reasons are different. Albanians leave because they seek a better economic future, while Serbs are going to Raska, Kraljevo, and Kragujevac for security reasons,” Petkovic stressed.
When asked when the next round of dialogue would take place, Petkovic reiterated that, unfortunately, this year has been lost when it comes to dialogue.

“We are always ready to talk and respond to invitations. We are ready to negotiate and seek compromise, because for us, dialogue has no alternative. But what can you do when the other side isn’t interested? They avoid dialogue during the campaign because they speak worst of it then. We, however, have always participated even during campaigns, because for us, dialogue matters, but Kurti is against dialogue, against the CSM, and against Serbs,” Petkovic said.

Commenting on a video circulating on social media in which Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama appears to lay claim to neighboring territories, implying the idea of a “Greater Albania,” Petkovic said the video was “disturbing,” as even if they are laughing in the video, the message behind it is clear, they are invoking the idea of a ‘Greater Albania.’

“Imagine if President Vucic had jokingly talked about a ‘Greater Serbia’. They would impose sanctions, bomb us, who knows what else. But in this case, no one reacts, they treat it as a joke and move on,” Petkovic concluded.