Serbian military representatives met with officers from the international KFOR force in Kosovo to submit a request for the deployment of 1,000 Serbian security personnel. Serbia insists that it has the right to this move, in accordance with the UN resolution 1244, and in light of the recent worsening of the security situation in the ethnically majority Serbian north of Kosovo.

Kosovan authorities reject this request and have conducted arrests of Serbian police officers who they say attacked Kosovan security officers, in the row over which license plates will the Serbs in Kosovo use.

Petar Miletic, from the Serbian SNS party in Macedonia, says that he does not expect the request to be approved, even though Serbia is in the right.

If the Serbian police and military return to Kosovo it can only contribute to the stability and peace because the Serbian population there will feel far safer and will not be harassed and provoked. Innocent people are being arrested now for no reason. But given how onesided their policy is, I doubt they will allow the return, Miletic said.

The member of the Skopje City Council welcomed the announced visit of US diplomat Gabriel Escobar to the region, during which the US are expected to push for tougher punishment for corrupt local actors in Macedonia and Kosovo.

Pristina will be rebuked for violating the Washington treaty which violates the direct US interests. Serbia, on the other hand, has honored what was agreed. European countries are trying to lead the process, but they only escalating matters. They offer to Serbia to join the EU but if it recognizes Kosovo – it’s like offering someone a million dollars to give up on his child, Miletic said. He adds that Serbia is a bridge between the East and the West and that its President Aleksandar Vucic is an experienced leader who helps all friendly countries in the region, but is also bound to protect the Serbian constitution and the Serbian population. On the other hand, according to Miletic, the Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti is a loose cannon.

“Kurti’s moves are clearly not coordinated with the United States. We can see that in the statements made by the US ambassadors in Kosovo and in Serbia. There are other forces who are pushing Kurti to drive the Balkans in a bad scenario. He is obviously trying to provoke a conflict”, Miletic adds.

Another Serbian politician in Macedonia, the former Mayor of Centar Sasa Bogdanovic, also believes that Serbia will not receive a reply to its request to bring troops back to Kosovo.

As far as I understand the UN resolution, KFOR does not need to approve the deployment, but is merely informed of it. I don’t see it responding. Regarding the visits of the US diplomats to the region, I think they want to see normal progress in the whole of the Western Balkans, but that should be based on respect for the existing treaties. The President of Serbia wants us all to go forward and to resolve our problems together. We can see that in the Open Balkan initiative which is a good platform to resolve some mutual problems. The problem is that Kurti does not respect the existing treaties, which causes needless tensions and mistrust, Bogdanovic added.