According to US information, the Serbian military has deployed on the border with Kosovo. The USA speaks of an unprecedented deployment of artillery and tanks. This is also confirmed by pictures from the border region. Serbia denies the allegations. SRF foreign editor Janis Fahrländer assesses the situation.
SRF News: How should the warning from the USA be understood?
Janis Fahrländer: The fact that the USA made this march public and chose such clear words for it is a signal to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. I think the USA wants to put pressure on him and signal to him that he should now actively contribute to de-escalation.
How realistic is a Serbian invasion of Kosovo?
In my opinion, a direct invasion is unrealistic. That would lead to a confrontation with NATO. It is present in Kosovo with around 4,500 soldiers from the Kfor protection force. Just yesterday it was announced that the quota would be increased again. It is difficult to imagine that Serbia would want to get involved in such a confrontation because the country would then be internationally isolated.
I therefore think that the troop deployment is a threatening gesture. Still, it’s a dangerous situation. Tensions have been high since last Sunday’s attack. This military buildup is now another destabilizing factor.
In my opinion, a direct invasion is unrealistic.
Is there a direct connection between the military deployment and the attack last Sunday?
Its obvious. This is simply supported by the proximity of time, especially since, according to the USA, the march has already been going on for a week, i.e. at the same time as this attack. There are still many unanswered questions. The spokesman for the American Security Council emphasized on Friday that the reason for the demonstration was unknown. The background to the attack remains unclear. It is generally assumed that the action last Sunday was probably not planned the way it took place. What exactly the plan was and who was behind it is still unclear.
The Serbian politician and businessman Milan Radoicic claimed responsibility for the attack. He said he organized and carried out everything on his own. How does that fit together?
Exactly, Radoicic announced through his lawyer on Friday that no Serbian state authorities were involved or informed about it. It is difficult to believe that all this happened without the knowledge of the Serbian security forces.
Radoicic is the vice-chairman of the Kosovo Serb Party. It is under the control of Vucic’s party. The two men are proven to be very close and the scale of the attack is so great that it is unrealistic that this action could have been carried out without support. For Kosovo it is clear that the Serbian state had a hand in this attack. However, Serbia continues to vehemently deny this, but has not yet provided its own explanation for the events.
The interview was conducted by Christina Scheidegger.