NATO, concerned by the increasing Russian influence in Balkan
21/02/2017 00:00
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The NATO High Commander in Europe, General Curtis Scaparrotti, said from
the KFOR offices in Prishtina that the Alliance is concerned about
increased Russian activity in Balkan, especially in Kosovo.
“Moscow should make sure that their activities in Kosovo follow the UN Resolution 1244, which guarantees the country’s progress”, Scaparrotti said, and guaranteed Kosovo that NATO will keep the same level of troops in the country.
NATO’s bombardments forced Belgrade to withdraw from Kosovo in 1999, and 4500 troops are still positioned in Kosovo.
The increased Russian influence in the region has been reported by Kosovo authorities too. The Kosovo Minister for Dialogue, Edita Tahiri, underlined at the EU Conference of Foreign Commissions that Russia has openly expressed their ambitions in the region.
Officials in Prishtina say the increased Russian influence comes in a time when the EU is facing internal disagreements, and while some countries in the region are still unclear about their EU perspective .
The Kosovo Deputy Foreign Minister, Valon Murtezaj, said for Radio Free Europe that the recent destructive activities, such as the train that tried to enter Kosovo from Belgrade with national and provocative slogans, have political backgrounds and Russian tendencies, which show their increasing influence in the region.
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