Kosovo President Hashim Thaci talked to reporters about today’s operation by Kosovo Police Special Units in the northern municipalities. Thaci has called on all citizens of Kosovo regardless of their ethnic background to view this as a rule of law operation that is not targeted against any community. He said “we need to be grateful to the people for cooperating with Kosovo Police”. “I was just informed by Kosovo’s security authorities, heads of police and intelligence, the chief prosecutor and other mechanisms, about their engagement in the fight against smuggling, organized crime, and other officials and citizens that were part of this joint criminal enterprise. This is a law enforcement initiative by Kosovo’s institutions aimed at combating evil. The operation was Kosovo-wide, among those arrested are citizens of different communities, Albanian, Serb and Bosniak. A Russian disguised as a diplomat, who tried to obstruct police in their operation, has also been arrested,” Thaci told reporters. He responded to statements made by Serbian President Vucic, saying that he [Vucic] knows very well that he cannot move toward Kosovo. “If something unpredictable happens, security institutions, including the Kosovo Security Force, will be ready to intervene. Their statements are not calling for war, but rather aimed at winning sympathy among the public in Serbia. No one should protect people that have violated the law. We call for cooperation to fight organized crime because this has regional dimensions. We will not tolerate anyone to be involved in crime. We want them to cooperate,” he added. Thaci also said that security institutions are carrying out their duties in accordance with the law and their competencies and that no one will be allowed to build barricades. “Kosovo’s borders are at Gate 1 and 31 and we must stress that the independent Kosovo will never allow Serbia to return here,” he said.
“Serbia’s President knows very well that he cannot move toward Kosovo, it is both impossible and unthinkable, but Kosovo’s institutions are ready to take measures, including the Kosovo Security Force,” Kosovo President Hashim Thaci is quoted as saying. “Serbia and Vucic thought that Kosovo can never be free and independent, but here we are. The more the European Union is late with processes for Kosovo, the greater willingness there is among us for national unification, including Presevo Valley. No one should be afraid from national unification”.
