The territory in the north of Kosovo should be kept under control by KFOR troops, according to Prime Minister Rama, who learned this statement in the parliamentary session for voting on the resolution, where the September 24 attack in Banjska was condemned. But this thesis, also articulated by the president of Serbia Vucic after the terrorist act in Banjska, does not hold, based also on a reaction of KFOR itself to Faktoje. International relations experts point out that as the interim president of the UN Security Council, Rama should be reserved from such theses as they are detrimental to Kosovo.

by Jona Plumbi

After the September 24 terrorist attack in Banjska, Prime Minister Edi Rama repeated several times the thesis that the North of Kosovo should be fully controlled by KFOR .

” I repeat my position on the necessity of KFOR taking control of the North of Kosovo. – said Prime Minister Rama in the speech of the plenary session where the resolution for Kosovo was expected to be voted on, condemning the terrorist attack in Banjska. After the attack in Banjska, before the number two of the Serbian list, Millan Radojčič, took responsibility for the attack, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučič also threw the thesis of control of the north of Kosovo by KFOR.

The statement crossed the borders of the region and took place in the international media, where, among other things, during the interview for “The Financial Times”, Prime Minister Rama called the North of Kosovo “no man’s land”.

But what does the taking of control by KFOR in the North of Kosovo mean from the point of view of the functioning of the security structures of this country?

Faktoje requested information from KFOR itself about the possibility of this mission taking control of the North of Kosovo. KFOR emphasized the exclusivity of the law enforcement forces of the Republic of Kosovo.

KFOR’s mandate at the UN is clear and does not include law enforcement. This remains the exclusive prerogative of the Kosovo Police.

– KFOR for Faktoje.

As the temporary president of the UN Security Council, Prime Minister Rama should recognize this fact, argues Ilir Kalemaj, researcher of international relations, who considers these theses harmful.

” Such statements, often bordering on irresponsibility, spoil a lot of work, if we take into account the fact that Albania is a member of the Security Council with a 2-year mandate. Even in the month that these statements were made, Albania also had the temporary presidency of the Security Council. One of the criteria of a sovereign state according to the Montevideo Convention is precisely effective control over the entire territory . – emphasizes Kalemaj.

Diplomat Agim Nesho, former ambassador of Albania to the UN and the USA, shares the same opinion. If Serbia were to bring a request to the UN Security Council through Russia or China, according to him, seeking the legitimization of this intervention in the sovereignty of Kosovo by the member states of the UN Security Council, it would greatly harm Kosovo. .

” The expression used by Prime Minister Rama that the North of Kosovo is “no man’s land” is an expression premeditated by him to justify Serbia’s demands that the North of Kosovo is within the so-called frozen conflict and the Kosovo authorities they are not capable of managing their territory.” – argues Nesho.

In fact, the September 24 terrorist attack showed that Kosovo’s response was up to the standard, according to researcher Ilir Kalemaj.

” The reaction of the state of Kosovo, especially the police and its elite intervention units, were at the required level and comparable to the best European standards. Also, the political reaction was measured and correct, which made many Western chancellors, but also countries of the Western Balkans such as Croatia, condemn it as an orchestrated and well-financed attack with evidence of support from Belgrade” – argues Kalemaj .

Returning to Rama’s repeated thesis regarding the role of KFOR in the North of Kosovo, diplomat Nesho comments, among other things:

“I think it is an attitude that keeps Mr. Rama in the game for the reason that it still continues in some segments of Western politics, in the USA and the EU, where Rama has presented himself with Vucic as the main actors in the management of the Balkan crises.”

cONcluSiON

The statement of Prime Minister Edi Rama that “KFOR must regain control of the North of Kosovo” is at best hasty and at worst deliberate, experts estimate. They agree that the statement in question (which coincides with the same thesis of Vucic) does not serve Kosovo at all. The fact is that  KFOR is a peacekeeping mission, not a law enforcement one. Taking control of the North of Kosovo not only does not comply with the mission of KFOR defined in UN Resolution 1244 , but as experts point out, it would violate the sovereignty of the state of Kosovo, recognized by the International Court of Justice ( ICJ ).