Vucevic: Kosovo and Metohija are apparently peaceful; I expect a more decisive action by KFOR regarding the protection of the Serbs

The situation in Kosovo and Metohija was calm that morning, better said apparently calm, because it could explode at any moment, since the tension was maximum, especially among the Serbs who were threatened by the latest terrorist acts of the Albin Kurti regime, the Minister of Defense, Milos Vucevic said today.

He pointed out that he expected a more decisive action by KFOR in protecting the Serbs in Kosovo.

"It is important if the Serbs manage to peacefully express their opposition to what is happening to them, especially in the four municipalities in the north, without further escalation. Kurti is working to ethnically cleanse Kosovo of the Serbs, and that is his main agenda. This is a form of pressure on the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, who are being told that they could not stay in the north," Vucevic said in a guest appearance on TV Prva.

He said that the goal was that Serbia might be drawn into the conflict, where it would be portrayed as the aggressor, and that one should be politically wise and cautious and defend the Serbs in Kosovo.

Referring to the statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivica Dacic, that the Serbian Army was not preparing to intervene in Kosovo, but to be ready "for all scenarios", Vucevic said that Serbia would not allow anyone to cross the red lines, i.e. that it would not allow repeats of the Operations "Storm", "Flash" or March 17, 2004.

"The army will be in a position to be able to carry out every task related to the security of Serbia and the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. We will be able to react in a timely manner, in the hope that we will not have to react because no one is at war. But to watch the Serbs being killed - that will not happen," Vucevic emphasized.

He expressed the hope that factors from the international community, primarily the Quint countries, would be more successful in pressuring and condemning Kurti.

Answering the question of whether KFOR can protect the Serbs in Kosovo, he said that the Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Army, General Milan Mojsilovic, was in contact with the commander of KFOR several times a day, that these were conversations that should sound good, but it could also be seen that not everything depended on him, but that there was also a policy that determined the action on the field.

"The commander of KFOR has his autonomy, but he also follows political contexts. I expect a more decisive action by KFOR in protecting the Serbs," the Minister of Defense said.

He stated as a special problem that Kurti moved the line of violence and terror towards the Serbs every time and that he wanted to corner the Serbs and Serbia, where there was no diplomatic-political way out, which led to a direct confrontation that was not good for anyone.

When it comes to the position of the Serbs from the north of Kosovo, who demand that the dialogue with Pristina be suspended until Kurti withdraws the Special Forces and mayors, Vucevic said that he understood their position.

"As far as the state of Serbia is concerned, it will be discussed and what will be our further position in the negotiation process, but we must not enter into self-isolation or a period of political autism, because of which we could be blamed that we do not want dialogue," Vucevic said.