Prishtina Seeks International Response to Serbia’s Threats and Military Buildup

Concerns over Kosovo’s security have returned to the forefront following threatening rhetoric from Belgrade, Serbia’s expansion of its military capabilities, and the Serbian president’s recent statements about altering the course of the Ibër River. At the 9th Conference of Ambassadors, currently being held in Prishtina, institutional leaders called on international partners to treat these developments seriously.

At the same time, the meeting underscored the need for Kosovo to deepen security cooperation with its allies and further strengthen its international position.

Acting President Albulena Haxhiu called on Kosovo’s ambassadors accredited to Western countries to press for Serbia to face justice over the terrorist attack in Banjska and Ibër-Lepenc. According to her, those responsible for the attack, including Milan Radojiçiq, must be brought to justice.

Haxhiu also called on the Serbian authorities to open their archives to help clarify the fate of missing persons. She described Serbian President Aleksandër Vuçiq’s rhetoric regarding Ujman as another troubling signal for Kosovo’s security and stability.

“As you know, Ibër-Lepenc and Lake Ujman are part of a vital system for water supply, energy, agriculture, and the lives of hundreds of thousands of Kosovo citizens. Unilateral interference in cross-border water flows would have consequences far beyond a technical issue, as it would affect the water, energy, environmental, and human security of our Republic,” said Albulena Haxhiu, Kosovo’s acting president.

Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti linked heightened security concerns in the region to geopolitical developments and Russia’s influence in the Western Balkans. He stressed that Serbia’s expanding military capabilities should be viewed as more than merely the modernization of its armed forces, particularly in light of Belgrade’s hegemonic rhetoric toward Kosovo.

“The geopolitical developments of our time, including Russia’s influence in the Western Balkans, have heightened security concerns in the region. The expansion of Serbia’s military capabilities is not simply an attempt to modernize its army, but part of a broader political and diplomatic strategy directly linked to its hegemonic ambitions toward our region, and Kosovo in particular,” said Albin Kurti, acting prime minister.

Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Glauk Konjufca said Serbia continues to pose a threat to Kosovo and to the overall stability of the Balkans.

“The consistently aggressive rhetoric of Serbia’s official policy toward the Republic of Kosovo demonstrates that Serbia is a source of threats and instability for regional and European peace,” said Glauk Konjufca, acting minister of foreign affairs and diaspora.

The 9th Conference of Ambassadors, held under the theme “Kosovo in a Changing World: Security, Partnership and Development,” identified strengthening the partnership with the United States and NATO, expanding security capabilities, and advancing Kosovo’s membership in international organizations as priorities in addressing new security challenges.