Tension between Serbia and Kosovo remains high despite KFOR

The situation between Kosovo and Serbia continues to be very tense. This was confirmed by sources from the NATO KFOR mission, led by the Italian general Angelo Michele Ristuccia. The clashes of September 24 in the north of the country, which caused four deaths, risk being repeated in the near future. This is why the multinational force could take over the management of security in the northern area of the Serb-majority nation, as Belgrade requests, taking it away from the Kosovar police. This, in fact, is strongly contested by the local population, who instead respects the peacekeepers of the Atlantic Alliance and the members of EULEX (the EU Mission on the rule of law in Kosovo).

Belgrade asks the NATO force to take control of the northern area of Kosovo, but some are against it

In fact, there are those who fear that Sunday’s unrest in northern Kosovo is linked precisely to this hypothesis, actively under discussion in Brussels. The most accredited thesis is that someone within the Balkan country is trying to sabotage it to maintain the presence of the Pristina police in the quadrant. By the way, in fact, further incidents in the area of which the Serbs are accused cannot be ruled out. The risk, however, is to push the envelope too much and thus trigger a real violent reaction from the local population.

The risks of a Turkish KFOR commander

So far, however, the situation in Kosovo is kept under control thanks to the continuous mediations of KFOR, but the future is uncertain. Since last June, in fact, rumors have been circulating that General Ristuccia could be replaced by a Turkish officer as commander of the NATO force in October. If the rumors are confirmed, there is a high risk that relations will cool and the situation will degenerate. This, as Belgrade accuses Ankara of supporting (including militarily) Pristina. Consequently, the Balkan country will be much less inclined and open to negotiating with the peacekeepers of the Atlantic Alliance and the latter, from being a super partes force, could become a target.