Drecun: Kosovo-Metohija Serbs concerned over Pristina's military service plans

BELGRADE - The head of the Serbian parliamentary committee on Kosovo-Metohija Milovan Drecun said on Friday Serbs in the province were particularly concerned over the fact Pristina was expediting the process of introducing compulsory military service.

"What, in my opinion, is a particular reason for concern for Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija is the fact the planned 2028 timeframe for introducing compulsory military service has been brought forward significantly and that, this year, they are planning a pilot project with compulsory military service," Drecun told the RTS.

This could pose a great problem for the Serbs and put them under additional pressure to move out or serve in the so-called Kosovo army, the main factor threatening their security, Drecun said.

Commenting on a visit to Pristina by UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron, Drecun said the UK's key goal was to provide military assistance to the so-called Kosovo.

Cameron said in Pristina the UK would help the so-called Kosovo to gain more recognitions and admissions to international institutions.

Drecun said London was trying to demonstrate its presence in the region.

"They do not want to be a fringe geopolitical player in this region, in which their intelligence services are highly active. The UK has very intensive activities in this region," Drecun noted.

But, despite the UK's desire to demonstrate it stands firmly with the so-called Kosovo and supports its unilaterally declared independence, London's potential to secure new recognitions for Pristina is exhausted, Drecun said.

"The visit shows that the UK's key goal is, in fact, to help the so-called Kosovo in the military sphere, and that is the essence of all those discussions, even though we have very few details about that, except for some generalistic statements," he said.