Terrorism with nationalistic motives, the main threat to the security of Kosovo

In the draft of the state strategy for the prevention and fight against terrorism for the next five years, the Government of Kosovo has identified the groups, organizations and movements that promote separatism, which are mainly focused in the north populated with a Serbian majority. According to the document, these organizations are occasionally predisposed to use violence to achieve political goals and to provoke inter-ethnic incidents.

Terrorism with nationalistic motives is among the main threats to the security of Kosovo, it is stated in the draft of the new State Strategy for the prevention and fight against terrorism 2023-2028. In the document drawn up by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, for which public consultations ended on Friday, it is evident that groups, movements and organizations without distinction aim to destabilize the security situation, democratic order and social cohesion. The main reference of the document is the relations between Albanians and Serbs, namely the intentions to provoke inter-ethnic incidents.

"As far as nationalistic-based terrorism is concerned, with all the progress that has been made in the inter-ethnic relations between the two largest communities in the Republic of Kosovo, tensions continue to be present and there are groups, movements and organizations, which from time to time are predisposed to use violence to achieve political goals, as well as to provoke inter-ethnic incidents, sometimes with the support of third countries", he writes in the draft strategy. "The groups, organizations and movements that promote separatism are mainly related to the political developments that the Republic of Kosovo has gone through during its journey in the process of state building and are currently focused mainly in the north of the country, but with a tendency to extend to other regions of the country".

Civil society representatives who participated in the discussions on the strategy say that there is an increase in right-wing extremism, so the Government has done well to include this aspect.

"This is one of the good actions that has been undertaken within this strategy because other types of extremism in the past strategies, apart from the one that has a religious background, have not been well addressed. While now we see that there is an increase in these groups with extremist beliefs that have their background and basis in nationalist narratives. There is also an increase in right-wing extremism, perhaps not typical of this wing, but the narrative cultivated by these groups is also observed among different individuals and groups in Kosovo", said Shpat Balaj, researcher at the Kosovar Center for Security Studies (QKSS). "They are definitely one of the main risks that Kosovo has in terms of violent extremism and as such they require an adequate response and a strategic approach to prevent and fight the problem in the right way".

According to Balaj, it is not necessary to mention the names of organizations with such tendencies in the strategy.

"However, it is difficult to notice what these groups are because there are several individuals who participate in the north, especially in different groups. It is therefore to be appreciated that it is included and treated in a more in-depth manner. Those who motivate this type of extremism in the north also have a state character, and the Serbian Orthodox Church also has a role. Therefore, Kosovo should have a well-designed approach in order not to allow these groups to gain ground and potentially destabilize the country", emphasized Balaj.

Organizations suspected to be in the North

Although the state leaders are not mentioned in the strategy, they have in some cases highlighted the organizations that were present in the north, populated by a Serbian majority, during the period when the protesters set up barricades in the streets.

In an interview for "The Telegraph" on February 11 of this year, President Vjosa Osmani has warned that the mercenaries of the Russian group "Wagner" are working with Serbian paramilitaries to smuggle weapons and military uniforms without emblems into Kosovo. According to her, this operation aims to create the ground for a possible hybrid attack by Serbia to take control of the territory of Kosovo.

"They are bringing weapons and uniforms, but they are not part of the Serbian army. Serbia wants to achieve its goals, without calling it a military operation", Osmani emphasized, without providing evidence for these claims.

According to her, Serbia's strategy has the same goal as the one used by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, when he illegally annexed Crimea from Ukraine.

"If you look at what Putin did in 2014, it's exactly the same. First, he instrumentalized the Russians living there, then he created fake operations, and then he sent these paramilitary groups. There are clear indications that Serbian paramilitary groups are planning and organizing this. What was the number of them who were at the border or inside, is something that is still being investigated", said Osmani.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti told the Dutch newspaper NRC at the beginning of this year that the people who stood at the barricades were brought by buses from Serbia and among them there were also masked people from the "North Brigade", "Wagner Group" and "Wolves". At night".

"We have evidence that these are people masked with signs of the Russian militia Wagner, the Night Wolves...", Kurti said, and he emphasized that he cannot publish the evidence due to the position from which the photos and videos were taken can reveal their sources.

Even in the draft strategy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, it is written that there are tendencies to present Kosovo as an incubator for terrorism, while the hybrid war is also emphasized.

"The activities of influential groups, organizations and movements in Kosovo are also related to hybrid threats, namely the spread of propaganda and misinformation with the aim of damaging the image and interests of the Republic of Kosovo. Through such propaganda and the publication of fake news, the aim is to increase insecurity among the citizens of the country, to create a favorable climate for the destabilization of the security situation and the tendency to present the Republic of Kosovo as an incubator for terrorism," the draft states. strategy.

The danger from Islamic ideologies

The Islamic ideologies spread in Kosovo from the countries of the Middle East are also mentioned as a threat.

"The threat level of potential terrorist attacks by members of terrorist organizations through foreign terrorist fighters, sleeper cells or sympathizers and supporters who may be inspired to commit acts of terrorism remains low, with increasing trends on the verge of important events/dates, especially during holidays and symbolic events", says the draft strategy. "Despite the developments in the conflict zones in the Middle East and the loss of territorial control by terrorist organizations, their terrorist ideology continues to be active, especially on various online platforms and applications, where propaganda in support of terrorist organizations includes translations of materials their propaganda in different languages, including the languages ​​of the region as well as the Albanian language".

Another aspect that continues to have an impact on the spread of terrorist ideologies in Kosovo is the support, inspiration and financing of various organizations, groups, movements and individuals, by external state and non-state actors.

Shpat Balaj estimates that Kosovo has benefited from good experience in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, but also in the reintegration and rehabilitation of those affected by this phenomenon. However, he finds it problematic to merge two strategies that have been separate until now - the one for preventing and fighting violent extremism, as well as the strategy for fighting terrorism.

"The reason why I see it as problematic to a certain extent is that the researches of the KKSS but also of other organizations not only in Kosovo but in general in the context of violent extremism, show that the best results in prevention and combat were not necessarily achieved with security tools", stressed Balaj.

According to him, there are some measures and actors that do not necessarily have a security background and that can contribute adequately.

"On the other hand, terrorism is a phenomenon that falls squarely in the domain of security institutions. This can create some potential confusion because actors outside the security institutions do not have much basis and opportunity to fight terrorism. However, this problem has also been addressed in the working groups and as such has found a form of implementation and in all likelihood there will be two action plans that foresee activities and the role of each on both sides", said Balaj.

The four strategic objectives

In the annual report of the US State Department, Kosovo is rated as one of the most active states in the Balkans for the criminal prosecution of individuals suspected of committing or supporting terrorist activities.

"Law enforcement institutions have taken concrete actions in preventing and hindering terrorist activities, terrorist attacks, investigating, arresting and prosecuting persons for whom there is a reasonable suspicion that they have committed or are preparing to commit criminal acts of terrorism and those related to terrorism. Even in international reports, Kosovo is estimated to be among the most active states in the Balkans for the criminal prosecution of individuals suspected of committing or supporting terrorist activities", is the assessment that is described to Kosovo.

Based on the results of the previous strategies, as well as the assessments for the next five years, the institutions' activities remain focused on four strategic objectives: prevention, protection, follow-up and response.

Meanwhile, the National Coordinator Against Terrorism, as the main coordinating institution for achieving the objectives, will monitor the indicators of the Strategy for the prevention and fight against terrorism. The holder of this position is the Minister of Internal Affairs or the person authorized by him, who, based on the draft Strategy, will coordinate, guide, monitor and report on the implementation of policies, activities and actions related to this document.