KFOR spokesman Vincenzo Grasso said on Wednesday that Kosovo President Hashim Thaci was not accompanied by any paramilitary or special forces units when he went to the Gazivode lake and did not need permission from the NATO-led forces for the visit.

He said Serbian officials are right to say that the Kosovo Security Forces need KFOR permission to deploy in northern Kosovo but added that those forces nor any paramilitary or special units were with Thaci as some media reported. He added that KFOR units were deployed in Pristina for a protest which was attended by a crowd of 13,000 people.

Grasso said there was no reason for KFOR to intervene since there were no incidents, arrests or military operations.

“We are confirming that there were no incidents, no arrests nor any military operations and attacks on anyone. Thaci visited the area and was accompanied by a Kosovo Police VIP security team,” Graso told the Demostat web portal, adding that the road blocks that were put up after Thaci left posed no security danger.

Thaci, as the highest-ranking Kosovo official, is free to move around Kosovo and the police do not have to request permission to go northern Kosovo, Grasso said.