Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani blames Serbia and its president Aleksandar Vucic for the weekend’s escalation of violence in the north of the country. “Kosovo is under attack,” Osmani told Portal on Thursday. “The group (armed, note) simply exercised the intentions and motives of Serbia as a country and Vucic as a leader.”
Serbia still has territorial claims over Kosovo and is trying to implement a “Crimean model”, fueling tensions in northern Kosovo, where around 50,000 Serb residents still consider Belgrade their capital and the government in Pristina is rejected.
The worst escalation of violence in several months occurred in northern Kosovo over the weekend. According to the government, 30 armed and masked men opened fire on Kosovo police officers, in a village not far from the border with Serbia, on Sunday. They then occupied a Serbian Orthodox monastery. According to police, a police officer and three attackers were killed in an exchange of gunfire.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti spoke of a terrorist attack carried out by criminals sponsored by Serbia. Serbia and Vucic rejected the accusations. So far no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.