Drecun: Pristina preparing new base in north of Kosovo-Metohija

BELGRADE - The head of the Serbian parliamentary committee on Kosovo-Metohija Milovan Drecun said on Friday Pristina was preparing to open a fifth base in the north of the province, and added that it would be a military one.

Speaking to Pink TV, Drecun said Pristina had used the vehicle licence plate crisis to set up special police bases and establish permanent presence in the north of the province.

"Pristina will use the latest crisis to permanently deploy troops of the so-called Kosovo Security Force in the north of Kosovo," he said.

He warned that Pristina's so-called defence ministry had announced that barricades put up by Serbs would be smashed and that the "Kosovo Security Force" would establish presence in all parts of Kosovo-Metohija.

"Realistically, they have been present in the north of Kosovo-Metohija on two occasions. I think the KFOR commander must explain that. Did he approve that, and on what grounds? He did not have the consent of the mayors of the four municipalities in the north," Drecun said.

He warned the "Kosovo Security Force" already had heavy weapons and that there was a tank training range in Kosovo-Metohija and that Pristina was planning to procure tanks and drones.

He said the "Kosovo Security Force" had increased the number of its troops to nearly 4,500 and that over 2,000 had already completed military training abroad.

He said that, in Albania, the Turkish army was training "Kosovo Security Force" personnel to use Bayraktar drones.

"What does an illegal formation that is contrary to UN SC Resolution 1244 need offensive weapons for? That tells us that Pristina is preparing for serious military and police action," Drecun said.

Western countries see, hear and know everything, but ignore protests by Kosovo-Metohija Serbs, he said.

"The Serbs are disenfranchised, their human rights and survival are under threat, and Pristina's unilateral actions are the cause. The Serbs want a peaceful resolution of problems created by Pristina," Drecun said, adding that statements coming from Pristina were belligerent, brutally threatening and warmongering.

He noted that Germany was Pristina's biggest backer, while the US had a slightly more pragmatic stance that left space for reaching some solutions.

He said Germany must say what secret acts it was implementing to make the Serbs accept something that was contrary to their interests.

"Have German officials met with Albanian PM Edi Rama and Albin Kurti in Berlin recently, and what was discussed at that meeting?" Drecun asked.

He said Germany maintained a policy of double standards because it supported the territorial integrity of Ukraine at the same time.