Three reasons why Germany said “aufiderzein” to Vucic

The friendship between Serbia and Germany from the time of former Chancellor Angela Merkel is long gone. Instead, warnings, the most open terms and criticism of the Serbian authorities are coming from Berlin. The main reasons why everything has gone wrong are Kosovo, Russia and the open intolerance between the highest Serbian officials and representatives of the German Greens.

The extent to which relations between Germany and Serbia have changed since Merkel’s departure is also shown by the articles in the German media, which in recent days have been seriously dealing with the Kosovo crisis and Serbia’s request to send a certain number of troops and police to the north.

Thus, the commander of the German KFOR contingent, Eugen Frank, told Welt, among other things, that the unstable situation has its causes “in organised crime, in Serbian parallel structures and in the unchanged existing inter-ethnic conflict potential”. It also states the view that the people of northern Kosovo are being used “as an instrument for Serbian influence through various actors”, while the journalist adds that the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, is “inciting unrest by demanding for troops to be sent to the north of Kosovo”.

A similar view was recently expressed by German Foreign Minister Analena Berbock.

“Kosovo has calmed tensions by postponing local elections. Recent rhetoric from Serbia has done the opposite. Proposals to send Serbian forces are absolutely unacceptable”, Berbok wrote on Twitter.

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić answered:

“In the last Foreign Ministers’ Communique of G7 countries (14 May 2022), in addressing each and every problem or crisis in the world (Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, etc.) they’ve asked for a strict implementation of the respective UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR). Now, surprisingly, the MFA of Germany is explicitly saying that the UNSCR 1244 – which stipulates that Serbia has the right to ask for the return of certain number of its security forces to Kosovo – should be ignored, because it is “unacceptable”. In terms of international law and stability, based on which criteria do you decide which UNSCR must be respected, and which must be ignored – e.g., in case of Libya, UNSCR 2571 must be respected, but in case of Serbia, UNSCR 1244 must be ignored? Stunning level of absurdity. What Serbs in Kosovo long for, is peace & stability. We, also, wouldn’t mind seeing some respect for international law, UN Charter, UNSCR. One last thing: there wouldn’t be tensions that needed to be reduced if Kurti respected agreements and didn’t breach them unilaterally“, Brnabić told Berbokova.

And it is not the first time that Berbok has provoked the Serbian authorities. Her visit to Belgrade in March this year was defined by a request to join the sanctions against Russia.

After all, this is what German Chancellor Olaf Scholz openly said at the beginning of his term in office.

During Scholz’s first visit to Belgrade, in June this year, the Chancellor “strongly and firmly” called on Serbia to join the sanctions against Russia and then, “for the first time”, publicly put a condition in front of Vucic – mutual recognition between Serbia and Kosovo. .

“It is inconceivable that countries which do not recognise each other will be admitted to the EU”, the German Chancellor explained at a joint press conference with Aleksandar Vucic.

Germany then worked with France to draft a final agreement with Pristina, which is currently not acceptable to the Belgrade authorities.

I don’t trust the Germans

After the publication of the first version of this document, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic was asked whether he believed that the EU and the US could persuade the Kurti to drop the requirement to re-register vehicles in the north of Kosovo, Vučić stated that America is certainly trying and that they do not want a conflict, but also that he does not trust others when it comes to Kosovo, especially not the Germans.

“I don’t trust the Germans, nothing at all when it comes to Kosovo “, Vucic said at the time.

And this is actually a big change compared to the period when Angela Merkel was at the helm of Germany.

For months now, there has been a real little war between the Serbian Prime Minister, Ana Brnabić, and the European Parliament rapporteur, Viola von Kramon, who, like Analena Berbock, is a member of the German Greens.

It continued with the new crisis in Kosovo, when von Kramon called for the removal of barricades in the north erected by Serbs to protest against the arrest of former police officer Dejan Pantić.

„Finally, long awaited announcement from the fake Secretary General of the UN Viola von Cramon, who also assumed the role of KFOR Commander in Chief, General Expert on all matters – from Lithium to EuroPride, and Chief Defender of the rule of law & human rights (Serbs excluded). Master of SILENCE when Albin Kurti appointed Nenad Rašić as a Minister for Communities and Returns, to represent Serbs in Kosovo – a man who won 0.2% of the votes in the elections, 30 times less than the representatives of the Serb List. Master of SILENCE when, 10 days ago (on 2 Dec), Gavrilo Milosavljević (63) was arrested without any explanation when he went to report seized property in the Municipality of Istok. Master of Meditation when, 6 days ago (6 Dec), Kosovo Police violently stormed Zubin Potok, and then Mitrovica – directly breaching the Brussels Agreement. EP Rapporteur, also known as “No need for me to say anything”, when, 3 days ago (9 Dec), Kurti declared that Serbia’s demand for Kosovo to establish Association of Serb Municipalities is “childish” – thus directly opposing the Brussels Agreement which EU is the guarantor of. Now finally, she felt obliged to say SOMETHING about peace & stability in the North of Kosovo, and, in her statement, called on dissolution of the UN Security Council whose Resolutions should be ignored if she doesn’t like them. Bravo! Sometimes better to remain silent… “ wrote Brnabić on Twitter./Nova S/