Brnabic: Kurti showing his intention is ethnic cleansing of Serbs

BELGRADE - Serbian PM Ana Brnabic said on Thursday Pristina's PM Albin Kurti had shown the world his intentions and values by saying that barricades put up by Serb protesters in the north of Kosovo-Metohija must be removed even at the cost of casualties.

"When he talks about casualties, he talks about the lives of Kosovo-Metohija Serbs who are at those barricades, and let me remind you that women, children and the elderly are at the barricades, as are teachers who hold online classes for high school pupils from the barricades. They are the potential casualties he is talking about," Brnabic said on Happy TV.

Voicing concern over Kurti's statement, Brnabic said it reflected Pristina's clear position that there must be an ethnic cleansing of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija.

She said some dishonest people were now trying to make use of the present situation and explain that Serbia had a problem with the international community after Germany's ambassador to Pristina had said the barricades must be dismantled.

She said Kurti's statement was a "red line" and that his threat that the barricades would be removed even at the cost of casualties was the biggest problem.

She said many countries in the international community recognised the so-called Kosovo but disagreed with Kurti's positions and actions.

"There are sides with which we disagree on what Kosovo is - on whether it is an autonomous province or a state - but they see clearly what Kurti wants to do and they oppose that, so we are partners in that sense," Brnabic said.

She said KFOR was a good partner to Serbia right now and was doing its job in line with UN SC Resolution 1244, and noted that the fact Belgrade's request for redeployment of Serbian troops to Kosovo-Metohija was under consideration was a sign of major progress.

The Kosovo-Metohija Serbs just want peace, stability and their rights that are guaranteed by existing agreements, which Pristina is constantly violating, Brnabic said.