Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday that KFOR troop movements across Kosovo are a demonstration of force which makes no sense.

Vucic refused to confirm media reports that he was scheduled to visit Army of Serbia (VS) units in the Ground Safety Zone along the border with Kosovo, saying that he has the sovereign right as president and commander in chief to visit any unit whenever he wants to without informing anyone.  

The Ground Safety Zone is a belt of land on the Serbian side of the border which was set up under the Kumanovo Agreement which ended the Kosovo war and NATO air strikes in 1999. Serbia is allowed to keep limited forces in the area and conducts joint patrols with KFOR.  

Speaking to reporters in Trstenik, Vucic said that he hopes the international community understands that Serbia is in a very difficult situation because of the announced forming of a military force in Kosovo but added that the authorities are obliged to “save face and national pride” without entering into conflicts.

“I hope that others have reason and wisdom enough not to think that any solution through weapons is smart and good and would bring them an advantage,” he said.

Vucic said that the possible forming of a Kosovo army would be considered illegal by Belgrade. Everything that Pristina is doing is in violation of article 9, point B which clearly states that KFOR’s job is to disarm all Albanian armed formations. They do not have the right under any international act to form a military,” the Serbian president said.

Vucic met earlier with UNMIK chief Zahir Tanin and told him that he was very concerned for the future of the Kosovo Serbs because of the announced forming of a military by Pristina, a press release said. He asked Tanin to warn Pristina that it is raising tensions and jeopardizing peace and stability in the region with its unilateral measures.

Tanin told the Serbian president that he shares his concern over the situation, adding that UN Security Council resolution 1244 remains the legal framework for the international security presence in Kosovo.