Petkovic: Under existing agreements, Pristina cannot form parapolice squads

BELGRADE - The head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija Petar Petkovic said on Tuesday KFOR was the only legal and legitimate armed force in Kosovo-Metohija and that, under existing agreements, there was no foundation or space for Pristina to form parapolice or paramilitary squads, let alone to deploy them in Serb communities in the north of Kosovo-Metohija.

In a reaction to Pristina's announcements that it would establish a gendarmerie, Petkovic said "pre-election daydreaming and desperate moves" by Albin Kurti were aimed at cheap political gains as his election campaign was clearly not going as he had imagined.

"KFOR is the only legal and legitimate armed force in Kosovo-Metohija and it is also in charge of controlling, and patrolling along, the administrative line, and Kurti knows that very well, so he cannot change reality by posing for photos and by making promises in an election campaign," Petkovic noted in an official statement.

He added that, under Article 9 of the Brussels Agreement, so-called Kosovo Police troops in the north of Kosovo-Metohija must reflect the ethnic composition of four municipalities in the area - which has a Serb majority - while an Implementation Plan clearly stated that no new police formation could be established in that part of the province without consent from a working group comprised of representatives of Pristina, Belgrade and the EU.