Presence of Serbian Gendarmerie inside Kosovo territory part of joint patrolling with KFOR

Gazeta Express

08/08/2020 16:02

Kamenica mayor, Qendron Kastrati, told Gazeta Express that NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo – KFOR, explained to him that presence of Serbian gendarmerie in the bordering village of Karaceva on Friday, was part of a joint patrol between Serbian forces and KFOR. Kastrati said that neither municipal authorities nor the Kosovo Police were informed of this joint patrol which has alarmed local inhabitants.  

On Friday media published a video and photos showing armed members of Serbian Gendarmerie patrolling inside the village of Karaceva bordering with Serbia. Mayor of Kamenica Kastrati said that he addressed his concerns to KFOR adding that regardless their joint patrols, Serbian armed forces have no right to enter inside Kosovo territory. Furthermore, Kastrati says that local authorities were not informed of the joint action of KFOR and Serbian Army. According to Kastrati members of Serbian Gendarmerie were seen deep in Kosovo’s territory in an inhabited area. He said local residents of Karaceva feel threatened because of a mistake in the Kumanova Agreement signed in June 1999 which ended the war in Kosovo and paved the way for NATO to deploy its peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.  

Kosovo Minister of Defence, Anton Quni, told Gazeta Express on Saturday that KFOR and other security institutions are investigating this incident. The Kosovo Police says that they have informed the KFOR about the incident and their border patrols have responded to the scene and concluded that there is no presence of Serbian troops in the area. /GazetaExpress/