In an interview with Deutsche Welle, President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci said that Belgrade should be pressured to stop undermining Kosovo’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. “Seeing Brussels silence, Belgrade gets more encouraged to proceed with its plans to annex the northern part of Kosovo and join it to Serbia,” said Thaci adding that such a scenario will not unfold as Kosovo will use its constitutional and legal power to prevent it.

“All these – the wall, the arrest, the train - are consecutive and related incidents, provoked directly by Belgrade. The wall is a Kosovo issue and Kosovo should remove it entirely. Such a wall cannot remain in Mitrovica and this is an issue we will not discuss with Belgrade at all. With regards to the train, inspired by the Russian model, it had clear provocative motives for Kosovo but Kosovo’s determination prevented it from coming close to the border of the Republic of Kosovo. If it had come closer, I cannot say for certain that an armed conflict would not break out. Kosovo was ready to respond to this provocation in a stately manner. We have information that there was armament in the train as well as paramilitaries trying to enter Kosovo and destabilize it. At the same time, we are also witnessing the Serbian plan for partition of Kosovo and we also know that Serbia is arming Serbs in the north.”

Asked whether he can corroborate his statement that Serbia is arming Serbs in the north, Thaci replied: “Definitely, Serbia is using the Russian model in Ukraine. It is sending civilians and even people in uniforms in the north and arming Serbs with hand guns but also with other weapons so that they would be ready to protect themselves from allegedly Albanians’ attacks.” Thaci said this information is accurate and confirmed. “European authorities in Kosovo also possess this information. Apart from NATO uniform in Kosovo, any other will be considered as invading and hostile and will receive constitutional and legal response.”