Collegium of SAF Chief of General Staff: Albania-Croatia-Pristina activities a security challenge

BELGRADE - The Collegium of the Serbian Armed Forces (SAF) Chief of General Staff concluded on Friday a recent meeting of the army chiefs of Albania and Croatia and representatives of the provisional institutions in Pristina posed a serious security challenge that was clearly aimed against Serbia.

The Collegium met at the Banjica 2 barracks in Belgrade.

"During the meeting, which addressed other issues of importance for the functioning and further development of capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces, particular attention was focused on the intensified activities of Albania, Croatia, and the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Pristina aimed at strengthening their military alliance. Such actions were assessed as a serious violation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and the Kumanovo Military Technical Agreement," the Serbian Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

"It was concluded that the meeting held between the Chiefs of Defence of two NATO member states and representatives of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Serbia’s southern province constitutes a serious security challenge clearly directed against the Republic of Serbia and that it heightens the need for the Serbian Armed Forces to continue rapidly strengthening their defence capabilities and acting as a powerful deterrent.

In light of this, concrete measures and tasks were defined to monitor the development of the security situation and ensure that the Serbian Armed Forces are prepared to respond promptly to protect citizens and the national interests of the Republic of Serbia," it said.

"The Serbian Armed Forces remain committed to maintaining peace and stability in the region, while continuing to strengthen their deterrence capabilities against potential military threats. Following the directives of the Supreme Commander and President of the Republic of Serbia, and based on the assessment of operational and functional capabilities, the Serbian Armed Forces have intensified activities aimed at strengthening their defensive power in the near future, ensuring capabilities that surpass those of this military alliance," it concluded.

Following a January 30 Croatia-Albania-Pristina meeting in Zagreb at the level of directors for defence policies and arms, the army chiefs of Albania and Croatia and the commander of the so-called Kosovo Security Force met in Shkoder on Wednesday, focusing on "deepening military cooperation through concrete plans."

The three parties signed a memorandum on defence and security cooperation in Tirana in March 2025.

Under UNSCR1244, KFOR is the only armed force in Kosovo-Metohija.

However, in 2009, Pristina formed the so-called Kosovo Security Force from the "Kosovo Protection Corps" - a successor to the so-called "Kosovo Liberation Army".

At a session not attended by Serb representatives, Pristina's assembly passed in 2018 a law on transforming the so-called Kosovo Security Force into an army.