Serbian defence minister: Army has not trespassed anywhere it should not be

The Serbian army “has not trespassed anywhere where it should not be,” said Defense Minister Nebojsa Stefanović on Tuesday, adding that President Aleksandar Vučić has given the order to heighten the alert of the Serbian army units across the Ground Safety Zone along the border with Kosovo.

The army “is ready to defend its people”, and a heightened state of alert and presence along the administrative line with Kosovo “is primarily a preventive mechanism,” the defence minister added.

“In our territory, we have the right to deploy (units); no one will be telling us what to do; it is our sovereign decision. We are not violating any international agreement; the army has not trespassed anywhere where it should not be,” Stefanović also said.

Jarinje and Brnjak crossings in Kosovo’s north have been blocked by the Serbs, who have been protesting Pristina’s decision to issue temporary Kosovo license places for Serbian vehicles. Several armoured vehicles of a special police unit have been deployed near Jarinje administrative crossing. At the same time, five KFOR members walked to the crossing and went back as part of increased patrols, the KFOR Headquarters in Pristina has said.

(EURACTIV.rs | betabriefing.com)