PRISHTINA, Aug 10 /ATA/ – Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti has raised concerns over Serbia’s expanding military capabilities, linking the buildup to Belgrade’s hegemonic ambitions towards Kosovo and the wider region.
Speaking at Kosovo’s ninth Ambassadors’ Conference, Kurti said Serbia’s military expansion should not be viewed solely as an effort to modernise its armed forces, but as part of a broader political and diplomatic strategy.
“Serbia’s expansion of its military capabilities is not simply an effort to modernise its army, but a broader political and diplomatic strategy directly linked to its hegemonic ambitions towards our region, particularly Kosovo,” Kurti said.
He said continued rhetoric by Serbian leaders demonstrated what he described as the country’s “expansionist claims” in the region, accompanied by calls for further military buildup.
Kurti’s comments came as what Kosovo officials described as threatening messages from Serbia continued to emerge. A graffiti message reading “When the army returns to Kosovo” was recently painted in Perućac, near Bajina Basta, according to Kosovo media.
The message was reportedly painted in large letters in the colours of the Serbian flag on a roadside wall along the route towards Mitrovica. Local Serbian media reported that it appeared on Aug. 9, the same day Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić threatened to divert the course of the Ibar River, a key water source for Kosovo, according to KosovaPress.
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