Kosovo tensions may lead to ‘huge explosion’ in Europe

Russian FM

TEHRAN, (MNA) – The current escalation in Kosovo and Metohija is alarming, and a major explosive situation could erupt in the heart of Europe, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Monday.

"A major explosive situation is brewing in the heart of Europe, exactly in that place where NATO carried out aggression against Yugoslavia in 1999 in violation of every principle of the Helsinki Final Act that one could think of as well as other OSCE documents. The situation is alarming, but the West has embarked on a course of total subjugation of all those who in any way express their own opinion," the top diplomat said.

"This once again emphasizes that what is happening in the world today is of a geopolitical nature and requires a geopolitical solution that would ensure, as far as Europe is concerned, equal and indivisible security for all countries, and which would mean that no bloc, including NATO, has the right to claim dominance in this part of the globe," TASS quoted Lavrov as saying.

Earlier, the Kosovo Force (KFOR), a NATO-led international peacekeeping force in Kosovo, blocked citizens' access to the administrative buildings in the municipalities of Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok. A statement issued after a meeting of the Serbian Security Council said that KFOR, contrary to its obligations, ignored the aggression of the Kosovo security forces in the Serbian municipalities and did nothing to prevent attempts by the self-proclaimed authorities in Pristina to take control of buildings in several municipalities.

The situation in four municipalities in northern Kosovo and Metohija escalated on Friday after Kosovo law enforcement officers tried to seize the buildings of local administrations, despite the resistance offered by local residents. The Kosovo police reportedly used tear gas and flash bang grenades. According to the local mass media, a police car was set on fire in the Zvecan municipality and armored vehicles were reportedly deployed to the site. In response to the actions of the Kosovo authorities, Belgrade put its army on high alert and deployed troops to the administrative border with Kosovo.

Pristina insists that the new mayors of the four municipalities, who were elected amid an election boycott by the Serb population, take their offices.

Elections to local government bodies in four municipalities - Zvecan, Zubin Potok, Leposavic and North Mitrovica - in northern Kosovo and Metohija were held on April 23. The elections were boycotted by the Serb List, a Serb minority political party in Kosovo, because of Pristina’s failure to meet its commitments. As a result, the voter turnout was a meagre 3.47%, with 1,566 ethnic Albanians and only 13 out of 45,095 eligible Serbian voters taking part.