Vucic: Even a blind man could see what Kurti wanted - a conflict between the Serbs and NATO

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, addressed the citizens regarding the situation in Kosovo, after today's events in Zvecan, and as he pointed out, in the last three days it had been clearly visible what had been prepared for today, all organized by Albin Kurti, who had had the desire that a conflict between the Serbs and NATO happened.

"Although we have been saying for months that Albin Kurti has only one desire - to cause conflicts in Kosovo and Metohija; to lead to bloodshed in the entire region, few wanted to hear the truth, and to understand the essence of everything that is happening in Kosovo. For three days, even a weak and politically illiterate person could understand what was prepared for today," the President underlined in his address to the citizens.

He said that it had been all organized by Kurti and his desire to bring about a conflict between the Serbs and NATO and that he, who was the only culprit, was washing hands of it.

Vucic reported that, after the conflict with ROSU Special Forces and KFOR in Zvecan, 52 people had sought medical help at the Clinical Hospital Center Kosovska Mitrovica, three of whom had been seriously injured, and the most seriously Dragisa Galjak, who had been wounded by two bullets and was in intensive care.

"Dragisa Galjak, a 50-year-old porter from Kosovska Mitrovica, was hit from behind with two bullets. And at that moment, the response of the Serbs begins with stones and in all other ways," Vucic said in his address to the public.

As he said, Galjak had been operated on, and the doctors had fought for his life, due to heavy blood loss, and at that moment he was in intensive care.

"We believe that it is certain if there are no complications, that he will survive," Vucic said.

He added that Dragisa Milovic, one of the most respected Serbs from Kosovo, who negotiated with KFOR, had also been seriously injured.

"Milovic has multiple serious injuries in the abdomen, arms, legs, and chest and is under observation. Among the injured and under observation is Caslav Sofronijevic, who received blows to the chest and injuries from rubber bullets, while the others suffered minor and more serious injuries," Vucic said.

He also stated that four Serbs - Nebojsa Elezovic, Rados Petrovic, Srecko Vitkovic, and Dusan Obrenovic – had been arrested and that negotiations were underway with KFOR for their release.

He reported that the vice president of the Serb List, Igor Simic, had warned KFOR that the Albanian Special Forces had brought weapons and snipers into the facilities, while the Serbs had offered non-violent resistance.

Vucic said that 41 members of KFOR had been injured, of which the largest number had been from the Hungarian and Italian contingents of KFOR, and that three had been seriously wounded.

"We hope that no one's life is in danger. As you can see, there are great and serious consequences for which Albin Kurti is responsible and solely to blame. I warned about this last night, the night before last, five days ago, no one wanted to hear," the President said.

He announced that tonight, together with the Chief of General Staff and the Minister of Defense, he would visit deployed soldiers who, he said, were deployed in accordance with the situation.

"Tonight we will visit several places with our soldiers, we will not allow the pogrom of the Serbs," Vucic said and stated that he had scheduled a meeting with the Quint for tomorrow at 8 a.m. and that he probably would not go to Bratislava the next day.

About the chronology of today's events - It is not KFOR that bothers, but Special Forces and fake mayors

Vucic reported that the Serbs in the north of Kosovo had gathered at 7 o'clock that morning, in front of the municipalities of Zvecan, Zubin Potok, and Leposavic, to express their dissatisfaction with the invasion of Serbian buildings, because KFOR soldiers, despite guarantees, had not protected them.

The Serbs, he says, were waited by KFOR and barbed wire.

He pointed out that KFOR had guarded municipal buildings and illegal mayors against the Serbs, although it should be the other way around.

He reported that the largest number of people had gathered around the municipality in Zvecan, where some of the workers and women had been let to pass by KFOR, but the Kosovo police had met them with tear gas.

"What happened and why - two ROSU special police vehicles were surrounded by the Serbs on which the Serbs hung a flag and four letters S, but they did not carry out any violence. After numerous negotiations with KFOR, the representative of the Serb List, Dragisa Milovic, one of the most respected Serbs, went to the interview," Vucic said.

As he further stated, the Serbs had proposed that KFOR replaced ROSU; that the fake mayors should withdraw.

"That KFOR can stay because it's not KFOR that bothers us, but Special Forces and fake mayors. Then the KFOR commander for the East region said that he had understood and that he would pass on the requests to the competent authorities," Vucic said.

Then, however, KFOR conditioned the whole deal by asking the Serbs to let the ROSU vehicles pass because the Albanians had been afraid of the Serbs present, who, Vucic noted, had been in a double circle.

"The Serbs did not agree and KFOR went into action. In the first row were Simic and Rakic, whom they started hitting, and Dragisa Milovic was seriously injured. They started beating them, hitting them, kicking them, dragging them. They wanted to drag Simic into that circle of theirs, they barely separated him... They started throwing shock bombs and tear gas. Part of the people took shelter, and a part accepted the fight, with their fists," Vucic said.

Then, he says, units belonging to ROSU from "Kalashnikovs", kneeling on the ground, fired several shots in the direction of the Serbs.

"At that moment, the response of the Serbs starts with stones and in all other ways," Vucic said, and it ended with the Serbs who are more or less injured.

He called on the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija not to enter into a conflict with NATO.

"I know how difficult it is for them, but I urge them not to enter into a conflict with NATO, not because any of us are afraid, but because that is what Kurti wants most. I urge them that when they protest, and I know that they cannot allow the occupation of their buildings, whether it will be tomorrow or the day after tomorrow is their decision, to do it peacefully," the President said.

He added that when they peacefully confronted the Albanian occupier, no one could defeat them.

"If the Albanian occupier shoots, the situation will be different. I conveyed that to everyone in NATO," Vucic said and added that his message would also be conveyed tomorrow by Chief of the General Staff Milan Mojsilovic.

"We will do our best to preserve the peace. For the last time, I am asking the international community to reason with Kurti, not with announcements, but to take measures, if they don't, I fear it will be too late for all of us. Let the citizens of Serbia know that they have a responsible leadership; that we will do our best to preserve the peace, but that we will not allow the pogrom of the people of Kosovo," Vucic emphasized.

He asked the media to use as little unverified information as possible and to wait for official confirmation.

"What we said is the absolute truth and is not one-sided. We warned about this. We ask the countries of the Quint to reason with their “child”, because that “child” can cause such a miracle as no one has caused so far, and the Serbs and Serbia only want peace," Vucic pointed out.