Kosovo War

BERN - Dick Marty, the former Council of Europe rapporteur who investigated crimes committed by the so-called "Kosovo Liberation Army" ("KLA") and human organ trafficking in Kosovo-Metohija, died on Thursday aged 78, Swiss.info reported.

The news of his death was confirmed by Switzerland's Radical-Liberal Party.

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - A sign reading "KLA" - short for "Kosovo Liberation Army" - has been erected on a hill overlooking Kosovska Mitrovica.

The large red sign can be seen on the Crnusa hill, designated by local authorities in the southern, ethnic Albanian-populated part of Kosovoska Mitrovica as the site of a new Kosovo Security Force base, the RTS reported.

PRISTINA - Kfor Commander Maj Gen Ozkan Ulutas met with the ambassadors of the Quint states to Pristina on Thursday.

This was announced by KFOR last night on its X network, stating that the new battalion is part of a peacekeeping mission.
"KFOR continues to fulfill its UN mandate in providing a safe and secure environment for all communities in Kosovo," the announcement said.

PRISTINA - An Italian battalion from NATO's Operational Reserve Force has been deployed in Kosovo-Metohija as part of KFOR.

KFOR announced this in a post on its Twitter account on Tuesday evening.

"KFOR continues to fulfill its UN mandate to ensure a safe and secure environment for all communities in Kosovo," the peacekeeping mission said.

PRISTINA - Kfor Commander Maj Gen Ozkan Ulutas spoke with Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff Gen Milan Mojsilovic on Monday and said Kfor would continue to work to ensure a safe and secure environment for all people living in Kosovo-Metohija.

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday difficult weeks and months were ahead of Serbia as the international community was aiming to make it recognise the so-called Kosovo, but noted that Belgrade would not agree to that.

He points out that Serbia will not agree to that.
Vui stated that our country will suffer a lot of pressure, and that it will use and abuse the situation that Serbia has something to lose.
"That's why they put the Albanians under sanctions, which are not that serious, and with that they are actually blackmailing Serbia, because we have something to lose," said Vui.

BELGRADE - Serbian First Deputy PM and FM Ivica Dacic met with the UK's special Western Balkans envoy Stuart Peach in Belgrade on Friday.

Dacic and Peach exchanged views on the situation in Kosovo-Metohija and the state of affairs in the region.

Peach said his country provided full support to the Kfor mission in line with UNSCR 1244.

PRISTINA - Kfor Commander Ozkan Ulutas said on Friday that, following an escalation of tensions in recent months, the security situation in Kosovo-Metohija had improved and that NATO had promptly responded to recent violence by deploying 1,000 more troops and additional armoured vehicles.