Kosovar Authorities Collecting Weapons For Provocations Against Local Serbs - Belgrade

BELGRADE (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th June, 2023) Kosovar authorities are collecting weapons from people in the region to organize provocations against local Serbs, the Serbian government's chief for Kosovo and Metohija Affairs, Petar Petkovic, said on Saturday.

On the night of Saturday, Kosovar Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla said that the authorities had found weapons, grenade launchers and ammunition in a car with a Serbian license plate near the municipality building in the city of Zvecan, with the weapons being prepared for terrorist attacks against Kosovar authorities.

"The Security Intelligence Agency (of Serbia) has received information that Pristina and (Kosovar Prime Minister Albin) Kurti are planning to use illegal weapons, which were collected from citizens throughout Kosovo to arrest and expel Serbs. Pristina has developed a plan to use weapons and throw them at Serbs, accusing them of preparing attacks," Petkovic said at a briefing.

The official added that Kurti is doing this to carry out more arrests and spark armed clashes in the region.

Serbia has not recognized the self-proclaimed independence of Kosovo. A large ethnic Serb community is still residing in Kosovo's north, often bearing the brunt of diplomatic tensions between Belgrade and Pristina and protesting what they consider discriminatory Kosovar policies.

On May 29, clashes erupted after Kosovo police forcefully installed new ethnic Albanian mayors in offices in several northern cities following municipal elections in April. The elections were boycotted by the Serb community, but were declared valid despite a voter turnout of only 3.5%. More than 50 Serb protesters and at least 30 NATO peacekeepers were injured in the clashes.