NATO authorizes additional forces to address the current situation in Kosovo

NATO's North Atlantic Alliance has authorized additional forces to address the current situation in Kosovo. Through a statement, the secretary general of the North Atlantic Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, did not mention the recent events in Banjska, but emphasized that the authorization for additional forces was made after Thursday's meeting of the North Atlantic Council, which is the highest body of NATO

The Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, issued a statement on Friday announcing that the North Atlantic Council, the highest body of the Alliance, met to discuss the situation in Kosovo.

He says that the allies expressed their deep concern about the increase in tensions in Kosovo. This is the first time that the head of NATO speaks about the events in Kosovo, which happened on Sunday, but he does not mention anywhere the attack on the Kosovo Police, which happened that day.

Many diplomatic circles were waiting to see what NATO had to say about what happened, as the attacks involved a large armed group and a very large amount of weaponry was found in a country where NATO it has its longest mission in history.

In the statement of the general secretary of NATO, only the steps that the Alliance has taken recently regarding the KFOR mission to carry out the mandate in Kosovo and the steps that it will take in the future are mentioned.

"NATO's KFOR mission has a visible and agile presence throughout Kosovo. We will always take necessary actions to maintain a safe environment and freedom of movement for all people living in Kosovo. We will do this impartially, in accordance with our UN mandate", stated Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General.

Stoltenberg further says that the presence of KFOR has increased since May, while the North Atlantic Council, in yesterday's meeting, authorized additional forces to, as it is said, address the current situation.

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"We will always ensure that the KFOR commander has the necessary resources and flexibility for KFOR to fulfill its mandate. We remain ready to make further changes to the presence of KFOR, as needed".

The communiqué reiterates that KFOR continues to be in close contact with the relevant factors in Belgrade and Pristina, as well as with EULEX, OSCE and UN missions, as well as with the diplomatic community.

"We invite the parties to de-escalate the situation urgently. We continue to ask Belgrade and Prishtina to engage in EU-facilitated dialogue as the only way to resolve outstanding issues and find solutions that respect the rights of all communities. This is the key to sustainable security in Kosovo and stability in the region," Stoltenberg emphasized.