The list of high-ranking government officials through which it is claimed that KFOR has decided to prohibit their movement in the predominantly Serbian-populated north has been denied by the very Force that is currently guaranteeing Kosovo's borders.
On February 25, 2024, journalist Fitim Çeku, on his account on the "X" platform, published a list of names of Kosovo politicians whom he claimed KFOR had prevented from traveling to the north of Kosovo.
"Exclusive: NATO bans Vetevendosje deputies and some ministers from entering the north of Kosovo! I obtained a part of the document from several pages, and for other information, journalists can ask questions to KFOR and the Kosovo police!" wrote Çeku in his post. However, the published document does not have any logo of the institution that was claimed to have issued it. While only names arranged in alphabetical order appear in the content, at the top of the page it is written: "Do not allow access."
Among the names are also ministers of the Kurti Government, including those who have been seen more often in the north during the development of actions by the Kosovo Police, such as the one for the removal of plates and symbols with photographs of Russian and Serbian politicians. In the alleged list is the Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Sveçla, but also other officials who belong to other non-majority communities, such as the Minister for Communities and Returns, Nenad Rashiq.
However, this claim was denied by KFOR through a public statement. "The NATO-led KFOR mission would like to clarify that rumors circulating on social media alleging that KFOR is banning some Kosovar officials from traveling to northern Kosovo are unfounded," was said in the KFOR statement, which was shared by the media in Albanian and Serbian language. Furthermore, it is made clear that KFOR never interferes with individuals' freedom of movement throughout Kosovo, adding that they continue to provide a safe environment for all communities living in Kosovo, "in accordance with our UN mandate, at all times and in an impartially." The public statement also emphasized the ongoing cooperation they have with Kosovo institutions on a daily basis.
Currently, in northern Kosovo, only the Kosovo Security Force cannot go without special permission from the KFOR Commander. This restriction was based on an agreement reached by former Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. In addition to the KSF, Serbs have continuously demanded that KFOR be consulted even in cases when the Kosovo Police undertake actions in the north.
This was particularly emphasized after tensions in the north of Kosovo, which began in May of last year after the appointment of Albanian mayors in municipal facilities previously managed by the Serbian List. In this situation, KFOR was also involved, some of whose members were seriously injured as a result of violent protests. The situation escalated on March 29, 2023, in Zvečan, where after clashes with violent protesters, at least 25 KFOR members were injured.
This Force increased its presence in the north even after the terrorist attack in Banjska, Zvečan, by a Serbian paramilitary group that had entered from Serbian territory, leaving the Kosovo Police officer, Afrim Bunjaku, dead. Additional troops were sent by the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Germany.
*This article is published as part of the Western Balkans Regional Initiative against disinformation. Western Balkans Anti-Disinformation Hub: exposing malign influences through watchdog journalism.
