Minister of Communities and Returns in the Kosovo government Dalibor Jevtic denied speculations that MPs of the Serbian List gave “the offer” in order to vote support for the announced establishment of the Kosovo Army. “The Serbian List insists on the fulfilment of the coalition agreement with PDK and LDK, but there is not a word about ‘trading with the Serbian votes for the establishment of the Kosovo Armed Forces.’ No one from the government or the assembly discussed with us, Serbian MPs, the issue of Kosovo Army. That issue requires broader dialogue. We informed about that our coalition partners. If it will be again on the agenda of the Assembly we will vote against it. Our position is that Kosovo does not need armed forces, because there is a KFOR,” explains Jevtic.
Rada Trajkovic, former MP in the Kosovo Assembly, warns that with eventual interfering and “bargaining” about voting for KAF the Serbian List would strengthen Kosovo sovereignty and bring into question Kumanovo Agreement, signed by Serbia and NATO. She stressed that the Kosovo Armed forces is something what Serbian negotiating team should deal with, and not the MPs of the Serbian List.
The officials of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo stated that the establishment of the Kosovo Armed Forces is contrary to the Kumanovo Agreement and UN SC Resolution 1244. They recalled that all international agreements and documents stipulate that in Kosovo can be deployed only two armed forces; KFOR, under the UN mandate, and Army of Serbia with the consent of the KFOR Chief Commander.
According to the writings of the agencies the Serbian list will not vote for the establishment of the Kosovo Armed Forces, until coalition partners fulfil four conditions from the coalition agreement. The conditions are: Forming of the Community / Association of the Serb Municipalities, position of the Deputy Director of Kosovo Intelligence Agency, Deputy Commander of Kosovo Security Forces for the Serbian Community, and cease of privatization process including Brezovica and Trepca.
