Interview with Kosovo security analyst Ramadan Qehaja.
Epoka e Re: How do you evaluate the security situation after the incidents in the north of Kosovo?
Qehaja: The security situation in the north of Kosovo is pretty complicated. I would say that that it is an extraordinary situation. We have not had access to that part for about a decade. The inability to control 18% of the territory in the north, the bad economic situation, corruption and the fact that nothing is being undertaken to combat corruption create a very complicated situation that can very easily get out of control. At the moment, the security situation is very bad and requires a real assessment of what has happened thus far and what will happen in the future in order to come up with conclusions and not describe things. We need to analyze the situation and undertake concrete steps to avoid a situation that would be very inconvenient for us, the definitive division of this part of Kosovo territory.
Epoka e Re: How do you evaluate the security situation after the incidents in the north of Kosovo?
Qehaja: The security situation in the north of Kosovo is pretty complicated. I would say that that it is an extraordinary situation. We have not had access to that part for about a decade. The inability to control 18% of the territory in the north, the bad economic situation, corruption and the fact that nothing is being undertaken to combat corruption create a very complicated situation that can very easily get out of control. At the moment, the security situation is very bad and requires a real assessment of what has happened thus far and what will happen in the future in order to come up with conclusions and not describe things. We need to analyze the situation and undertake concrete steps to avoid a situation that would be very inconvenient for us, the definitive division of this part of Kosovo territory.
Epoka e Re: What concrete steps should the local institutions undertake to improve the situation there?
Qehaja: Today we cannot talk as we did a year ago when we were not a state and we did not have a constitution. Things have totally changed. We cannot say that UNMIK, EULEX or KFOR is guilty for this. We are a state; we need to think for ourselves and undertake measures to avoid the situation that can become even worse in the future. I always think that along with the preparations in the security aspect, we also need to have political measures. We should now have a Kosovo Security Council whose role should be very important in emergency or extraordinary situations by advising the Prime Minister what steps to undertake.
Epoka e Re: How should the local institutions act with the Serbian members who have boycotted the work of the Kosovo Police?
Qehaja: I personally think that we have waited a long time for them. I am also aware that a three-month period has been proposed to wait for them. If I were in the position to decide, I would have given them a shorter deadline in a form of an ultimatum.
There is nothing to think about because time is passing. We have entered 2009. We have to give them a very short deadline and if they do not return to their jobs, then we need to open the job positions for others.
Epoka e Re: According to you, what segment has stagnated the most in the security institutions of Kosovo?
Qehaja: The Kosovo Police is the only security force for the moment. The Kosovo Government needs to be determined in its requests and begin the reformation of the police. This is the main thing. We have the special unit in the Kosovo Police but we still do not have the needed weapons for those units, for instance, we do not have armored cars. I am aware that a special permission from New York is needed for that but we need to be more persistent for these units to be ready to do their job.
Epoka e Re: What should be done in the north to prevent the incidents in the future?
Qehaja: The situation there is close to an extraordinary situation because we have people there who for political reasons of the state of Serbia, conduct acts to destabilize the security situation. The step that should be undertaken is arresting all persons who work in violation of the law and order. All of those who are “guards of the bridge” are paramilitaries. Every member of the illegal secret services should be arrested. We need to play our role as a state there.
Qehaja: Today we cannot talk as we did a year ago when we were not a state and we did not have a constitution. Things have totally changed. We cannot say that UNMIK, EULEX or KFOR is guilty for this. We are a state; we need to think for ourselves and undertake measures to avoid the situation that can become even worse in the future. I always think that along with the preparations in the security aspect, we also need to have political measures. We should now have a Kosovo Security Council whose role should be very important in emergency or extraordinary situations by advising the Prime Minister what steps to undertake.
Epoka e Re: How should the local institutions act with the Serbian members who have boycotted the work of the Kosovo Police?
Qehaja: I personally think that we have waited a long time for them. I am also aware that a three-month period has been proposed to wait for them. If I were in the position to decide, I would have given them a shorter deadline in a form of an ultimatum.
There is nothing to think about because time is passing. We have entered 2009. We have to give them a very short deadline and if they do not return to their jobs, then we need to open the job positions for others.
Epoka e Re: According to you, what segment has stagnated the most in the security institutions of Kosovo?
Qehaja: The Kosovo Police is the only security force for the moment. The Kosovo Government needs to be determined in its requests and begin the reformation of the police. This is the main thing. We have the special unit in the Kosovo Police but we still do not have the needed weapons for those units, for instance, we do not have armored cars. I am aware that a special permission from New York is needed for that but we need to be more persistent for these units to be ready to do their job.
Epoka e Re: What should be done in the north to prevent the incidents in the future?
Qehaja: The situation there is close to an extraordinary situation because we have people there who for political reasons of the state of Serbia, conduct acts to destabilize the security situation. The step that should be undertaken is arresting all persons who work in violation of the law and order. All of those who are “guards of the bridge” are paramilitaries. Every member of the illegal secret services should be arrested. We need to play our role as a state there.
Comments (2)
Wim Roffel
said:
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... Qehaja is wrong. Robbing the Serbs from the kind of authonomy they have won't achieve anything except uniting the Serbs behind the extremists. Kosovo would do better to finally implement the autonomy that was promissed by Ahtisaari. That would give Kosovo's government the possibility to offer a real alternative. |
bluerose799
said:
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... At least 25000 Serbs of North Mitrovica are committed to continue their Divertive and Subversive activity, to threaten and overthrow the Kosova’s independence in the future. They are supported Economically, Politically and Militarily by Serbia. March. 17, 2008 KOSOVSKA MITROVICA. Clashes spark, U.N. police retreat, after leaving one dead and 42 U.N. and NATO forces wounded. Since March 2008, the Beograd, in fact, occupied North Mitrovica, and put it under Serbia’s Jurisdiction. The presence of Eluex and Unmik over there is formal and ridiculous. They have not any authority, and are wasting their time, and the money. The only way to go through is by using military force. This option is out of the table for now, and maybe forever. The Mighty Impeccable Serbian Army is ready to intervene, and they have nothing to lose but only to gain. They do not negotiate the status of North Mitrovica. The partition of North Mitrovica from Kosova is a fact now. In the best interest of Serbia is the status quo. They tried hard at UN, asking for prolonged, and endless negotiations. After the declaration of the independence they lost this option, but they won on March 17, 2008, with a brilliant military action. Without a solution for North Mitrovica, there is no solution for Kosova. The Serbs know very well this fact, and it is nothing Kosovars can do, without creating big problems. |
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