“Kosovo accuses Serbia of terrorist act”, “Arrests after explosion”, “Terror in Kosovo”. These are the headlines in the German press about the situation after the explosion in northern Kosovo
The German newspaper “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” writes: “After the bomb attack on the canal in northern Kosovo, from which water comes, which is important for the functioning of two thermal power plants, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti accused Serbia of being responsible for the explosion. Belgrade rejected this responsibility. Meanwhile, Kosovo police have arrested eight suspects during checks in the Serb-majority north of Kosovo and have announced that they have confiscated weapons and ammunition during the checks.
In the brief report of this newspaper, Kurti is also quoted as saying: “The attack was carried out by professionals”. It is a new criminal and terrorist attack that we believe comes from gangs led by Serbia”. But this German newspaper emphasizes that the background to the attack is “still unclear” and that “Belgrade has denied any responsibility”.
“HYBRID WAR”
Berliner Tageszeitung also reports on the reaction of the European Union, which condemned the explosion as a “terrorist attack”. The newspaper also reports on the statement of the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, Josep Borrell, who assessed that it was a “disgusting attack, an act of sabotage of Kosovo’s critical civilian infrastructure”. The newspaper also reports that “the US, France and Turkey joined the international criticism after this attack”, and that “even the NATO-led KFOR forces have called for restraint”.
The newspaper writes: “Kosovo media believe the attacks are the beginning of a hybrid war, led by Russia. Earlier this week, attackers threw hand grenades at a municipality building in the north as well as in another location. The worst escalation in recent years occurred at the end of September 2023, after the attack by Serbian paramilitaries on a Kosovo police patrol, when about thirty armed men attacked a Kosovo police patrol”.
“SERBIA HOPES FOR HELP FROM RUSSIA AND THE USA”
While the newspaper “Frankfurter Rundschau” reports that after the attack in Kosovo, “Pristina and Belgrade are accusing each other”. But at the same time the newspaper emphasizes that “Serbia is hoping for help from Russia and the USA”. “The Serbian government has long claimed that its compatriots in Kosovo are being oppressed. It has never recognized the state of Kosovo and is trying to violate the territorial integrity and sovereignty of this country through numerous international initiatives.
Donald Trump’s victory in the Balkans is seen as an opportunity for Serbia – whose leadership maintains close contacts with people close to Trump – to advance its interests. In this context, the attack (on the Iber-Lepenac canal, editor’s note) is seen as preparing the ground for this.” This is by no means a “Greater Serbia dream,” the German newspaper writes.
“The first Trump administration supported Serbia in its plan to divide northern Kosovo and unite it with Serbia. Most Serbs live in the north and there are many natural resources there. Many experts on the situation now fear that under the second Trump administration there could be another attempt to draw borders in the Balkans based on ethnic criteria, which would be extremely dangerous, especially for the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina – and this would increase the risk of a war,” concludes the “Frankfurter Rundschau”. (DW)
