The Serbian president orders the army to be ready for combat.
Serbian President Alexander Vucic has placed the armed forces on high alert due to the actions of Kosovo special forces, the Tanjug news agency reported, citing sources in Vucic's administration.
 |
| Serbian Army |
"The order has been given to the chief of staff of the Serbian army," the report stated.
All special units of the Ministry of Interior were also placed on combat readiness.
Earlier, about 60 soldiers from the special unit of the Ministry of Interior of the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo - ROSU - occupied positions near the reservoir of the Gazivode hydroelectric plant and advanced into the ecological and sports center near the dam north of the area.
The Gazivode hydroelectric plant is under the control of Belgrade. As Mr. Vucic stated, in recent years Serbia has invested approximately 2 million euros in the plant's infrastructure, facilities, and reservoir dam.
In 1999, armed conflict between Albanian separatists from the Kosovo Liberation Army and Serbian troops and police led to NATO bombing of Yugoslavia (which at the time comprised Serbia and Montenegro).
In March 2004, Albanians in Kosovo organized vandalism, destroying many historical and cultural monuments, leading to the Serbs leaving the area.
In February 2008, the Kosovo-Albanian population in Pristina unilaterally declared independence from Serbia. The self-proclaimed republic is not recognized by Serbia, Russia, China, Israel, Iran, Spain, Greece, or other countries.