Radakovic: Stoltenberg's statement came at the right time; the smallest incident can cause a new March 17

The executive director of the NGO "Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture" from North Mitrovica, Dusan Radakovic, points out for Kosovo Online that the statement by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that the deployment of the KSF in the north requires permission, and for the actions of the Kosovo Police, consultation with KFOR, was given at the right time, because he believes that the smallest incident could cause events similar to those of March 17, 2004.

Radakovic also notes that it is important that Stoltenberg sent this message before the meeting between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister Albin Kurti in Brussels, and reminded that in 2013, it was agreed by the Brussels Agreement that the Kosovo Security Forces without the permission of the four mayors and KFOR could not come to the north of Kosovo.

"Whether the Ministry of Defense is trying to change that now, but I think that Stoltenberg's statement came at the right time to once again make it known that the KSF cannot go north without the permission of KFOR. It is important that the second statement that was made, that the police forces, as well as their actions, cannot be carried out without the coordination and knowledge of KFOR, because at this moment in which we live, during the escalation of the problem we have, every small incident can be May 29 or March 17, 2004. I think it is important that NATO takes primacy and control in the north, otherwise, if it is left to, God forbid, the KSF or new special units trained in the US, there can be many big problems, above all for the Serbian community in Kosovo." he said.

Radakovic believes that the recent actions in the north of Kosovo are aimed at escalating the problems before the Vucic-Kurti meeting in Brussels.

"Definitely all the actions we have had in the last week, the moves of the tax administration and tax inspectors walking around the city, and around the building of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija and the Pension and Disability Insurance fund. These are all actions that should lead to an escalation on the eve of September 14 and the continuation of negotiations. That one side has a much greater burden, and pressure on itself than the other side, above all, the Serbian side has greater pressure. I expect every day that we will have problems; we still don't have confirmation that the eviction from the building has been postponed officially, but we all have behind-the-scenes stories; we can have special units at any moment and have major incidents. It doesn't mean that we could have any more actions on Monday or Tuesday, but every action is aimed at causing incidents, that someone throws a stone at Special Forces or a policeman so that special units come and create a big escalation and a big problem," Radakovic says.

He hopes and appeals to the population to be calm and not fall for actions, so that the negotiations can begin on September 14 in Brussels.

"We hope for a solution and quick elections, the resignation of the mayors, so that we can have a more normal life. Any dialogue is better than the escalation of violence and the problems we have every day," Radakovic concluded.