West Escalating Tensions in Kosovo, Metohija to Put Pressure on Belgrade — Russian Senator

According to Valentina Matviyenko, "Kosovo radicals" are bringing the situation to a new dramatic conflict in the region

Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko Mikhail Klimentyev/Russian Presidential Press and Informatin Office/TASS

© Mikhail Klimentyev/Russian Presidential Press and Informatin Office/TASS

MOSCOW, June 23. /TASS/. Western countries are escalating the situation in Kosovo and Metohija in order to put increased pressure on Serbia’s political leadership, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said.

"Western powers are methodically and repeatedly provoking escalation of the situation in the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija (Republic of Serbia) in order to put increased pressure on the political leadership in Belgrade, to force it to abandon its fundamental national interests, [and] to sacrifice friendly relations with brotherly Russia and other traditional partners," Matviyenko said, according to a statement published on the official website of the Federation Council on Friday.

She added that the direct culprits of the "rampant anti-Serb violence" in the province were in fact Washington and Brussels. "They have tolerated the Albanian ultra-nationalists for years, and today, when blood is flowing, they only pretend to be peacemakers. It shows the complete inconsistency of the West itself, which pretends to be a leader of democratic values, a bearer of prescriptions for well-being and development, but in reality is deeply mercantile and interested in subordinating the Balkans to its will and imperial interests," Matviyenko pointed out.

According to the senator, "Kosovo radicals" are bringing the situation to a new dramatic conflict in the region. At the same time the US, "with the help of NATO and a weak-willed EU," is energetically encouraging them, Matviyenko pointed out. "Flirting with Pristina leads to an increase in attacks on Serbs, further harassment of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo and Metohija, and the return of large-scale ethnic cleansing," Matviyenko explained.

Situation in Kosovo

The situation in the Leposavic, Zubin Potok, and Zvecan municipalities in northern Kosovo and Metohija escalated on May 26 after Kosovo law enforcement officers tried to seize local administrative buildings in a bid to enable the new mayors of these municipalities, who were elected despite nearly the entire Serbian population boycotting the elections, to take office. On May 29, KFOR cordoned off the administrative buildings, clashing with Serbian protesters.

Kosovo ripe for new escalation — Russian ambassador

The situation in the Serb-populated Leposavic, Zubin Potok, and Zvecan municipalities in northern Kosovo and Metohija escalated on May 26

MOSCOW, June 23. /TASS/. The situation in northern Kosovo and Metohija remains tense, with another spiral of escalation being possible any moment, Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko said on Friday.

"Naturally, I wouldn’t say that the tensions are as high as they were a couple of weeks ago. They have somewhat decreased, but, let me repeat, there are no significant changes and a new round of escalation may flare up any moment," he said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 television channel.

The situation in the Serb-populated Leposavic, Zubin Potok, and Zvecan municipalities in northern Kosovo and Metohija escalated on May 26 after Kosovo law enforcement officers tried to seize local administration buildings to make it possible for the new mayors of these municipalities, who were elected despite nearly the entire Serb population boycotting the elections, take their offices. On May 29, the NATO-led international security force in Kosovo (KFOR) cordoned off the administrative buildings, clashing with the protesters. The Kosovo police detained seven local Serbs on charges of using force against KFOR troops during protests on May 29. However, according to a video shot during the rally, these men were merely sitting on the ground in front of the KFOR troops.

During a phone call with US senators, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that Prime Minister of the unrecognized republic of Kosovo Albin Kurti was provoking hostilities in the very heart of Europe. He also lambasted the activity of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX).