Kosova Minister of Defense, Armend Mehaj, reports today to the Commission for Security and Defense Affairs on the annual work report for 2022.

Currently, the situation in the north of the country is tense due to barricades erected by criminal gangs.

The barricades at the two border points with Serbia, Jarinja and Bërnjak, were erected on December 10 by Serbian criminal groups, as a sign of protest against the arrest of the former Serbian policeman, Dejan Pantic, by the law enforcement authorities in Kosova. He is suspected of organizing a terrorist attack against the offices of the Central Election Commission in the north of Kosova.

The Prime Minister of Kosova, Albin Kurti, has said that he expects the peacekeeping mission of NATO, KFOR, to remove the barricades in the north. Meanwhile, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Sveçla, said that the Kosova Police has the necessary capacities to tackle the situation.

Calls for the removal of the barricades have also been made by the US embassy in Pristina and the one in Belgrade, saying that the arrest of Pantiq is being used as an excuse for illegal roadblocks.

Masked Serbian criminal groups have attacked the Kosova Police, journalists and the EU mission, EULEX.

As a result, a Kosova police officer was injured, for which he also received medical treatment.

Meanwhile, yesterday in Jarinja, in Serbian territory, there was a gathering of Serbs who had allegedly set out to “liberate” Jarinja. (Kosova Press)