The commander of NATO peacekeeping troops in Kosovo, the Italian Major General Angelo Michele Ristuccia, claimed that the situation in the northern half of the nation is very dangerous, despite the fact that the security situation has calmed down since May, when there were violent turmoil.
The KFOR commander stated during a speech in Brussels that tensions between the two sides remain high owing to political differences.
“Since the events of May 29, the situation has cooled down. However, the situation remains extremely volatile. “We believe that this tension is the result of a number of unresolved issues,” he stated.
What most concerns General Ristuccia and adds to the rise of tensions in the north is that the parties do not trust each other.
During battles with Serbian demonstrators in northern Kosovo in May, about 90 KFOR members were injured. Approximately 50 demonstrators were also hurt during the riots.
The violence began as Albanian leaders entered their posts in northern Kosovo towns following local elections boycotted by Serbs.