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Kosova

The situation in the North, the German diplomat again calls on Serbia: Withdraw the troops to the border with Kosovo

Politiko 2023-10-02 17:55:02

The situation in the North, the German diplomat again calls on Serbia: Withdraw

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Analena Baerbock, again called from Kiev for Serbia to reduce the troops on the border with Kosovo. Baerbock said from Kiev, Ukraine, that there should be "no more tensions between Serbia and Kosovo." The reduction of the number of Serbian soldiers on the border is "the urgent appeal here today from our joint meeting in Kiev", said the minister a day after the departure to Pristina of her charge for the Western Balkans, Manuel Sarrazin.

But Germany has not yet decided whether there will be an increase in the German KFOR contingent. A spokesman for the German Ministry of Defense told DW on Monday: "We are closely monitoring the situation and are in close contact with the Kosovar government and our NATO allies on possible next steps. It is important to weigh all the arguments.”

Previously, due to the tense situation in Kosovo, representatives of the SPD, the Greens and the FDP have expressed their support for the strengthening of the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force and are suggesting the sending of additional Bundeswehr forces. . "Germany, in consultation with its allies, should soon consider whether KFOR's mandate is being fully fulfilled and send more soldiers to Kosovo," said Green Party politician Anton Hofreiter, chairman of the EU Committee. in the Bundestag, for the magazine "Spiegel". Hofreiter's parliamentary group colleague Philip Krämer said Germany should also consider the extent to which additional Bundeswehr forces could be made available within the framework of the current mandate.

Even the social democratic rapporteur for the Western Balkans, Adis Ahmetovic, from the ranks of the SPD, called for more armed forces to be given to the mandate of KFOR. In a statement to the media, Ahmetovic expressed the need for additional measures by the EU Commission to prevent the escalation of the situation. He said that the mobilization of Serbia's military forces on the border with Kosovo is an attack on liberal Europe.

NATO reinforces troops in Kosovo

NATO recently announced it will increase KFOR troops, following the escalation of tensions between Serbia and Kosovo. According to a spokesman for the defense alliance, about 600 British forces will be added to Kosovo. Meanwhile, 200 eyes have arrived in Kosovo, DW informs.

The German Bundeswehr currently has 85 soldiers stationed in Kosovo. The mandate, which was last extended by the Bundestag in May, provides for up to 400 soldiers, if needed. The chairperson of the Parliamentary Defense Committee, Marie Agnes Strack Zimmermann, from the Liberal Party, FDP, said that we can send even more if necessary, but we are monitoring the situation.

The Christian Social Union parliamentary group accused the center-left coalition government of being complicit in escalating tensions between Belgrade and Pristina. "The current government has unnecessarily abdicated Germany's long and successful leadership role in the Western Balkans," defense policy spokesman Florian Hahn (CSU) told the magazine.

Serbia, for its part, assured on Monday that the number of soldiers at the border had returned to a "normal" level. The Chief of the General Staff said that the number has been reduced from 8,350 to 4,500./DW/