Wrote: Festim Rizanaj
Russia's Ambassador to Serbia, Alexander Bocan-Kharchenko, has stated that the situation in Kosovo before the elections is a "high-risk area" for the escalation of the crisis.
In an interview with RIA Novosti, he stressed that the elections were accompanied by manipulations against the Serbian List party and that the situation is so tense that any moment could lead to deterioration and crisis.
However, Bocan-Kharchenko has not provided concrete facts to support these statements, but has based them on conspiratorial speculation, describing the situation as a period fraught with risks that could further destabilize the region.
What did the Russian ambassador in Belgrade claim?
The Russian Ambassador to Serbia, Alexander Bocan-Kharchenko, told RIA Novosti that the situation in Kosovo ahead of the elections is a "high-risk zone" for the escalation of the crisis.
"As for the outbreak of the crisis – of course, the elections were accompanied by machinations against the Serbian List party, and in general the situation there is such that at any moment a deterioration and crisis could occur. And the pre-election situation, the elections themselves and the time after the elections – that is, as they say, a high-risk zone."
This claim has been published in Russian and Serbian media, including Serbian-language services of Sputnik and Russia Today Balkans, as well as several other Serbian media. (here, here)
Otherwise, the Kosovo Police has drafted the police operational order in time and has planned measures for public security during the February 9 elections, based on its laws and authorizations. In order to ensure a safe electoral process, it is foreseen to engage a sufficient number of police officers, mainly from the public order, and, as needed, officers from other profiles may also be engaged. Creating a calm and safe climate for all citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, as well as maintaining order, peace and public security in the country before, during and after the election process, remain the main priority for the Kosovo Police, according to the operational plan. (here)
Narratives of Russian-Serbian media and Serbian officials regarding the election campaign in Kosovo
The claim by Russian Ambassador Alexander Bocan-Kharchenko that the situation in Kosovo, ahead of the elections, is a “high-risk zone” for crisis escalation, has been intertwined with the narratives of Russian-Serbian media and Serbian officials, who have often presented the elections in Kosovo as an opportunity for escalating tensions and crises.
This claim, based on speculation and a lack of concrete facts, is consistent with an ongoing discourse in media outlets such as Sputnik and Russia Today Balkan, as well as in statements by Serbian politicians that tend to present the situation in Kosovo as dangerous and destabilized, contributing to the intensification of potential perceptions of crisis.
Articles related to this topic often attempt to create an image of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti as a leader who plays on the national feelings of Serbs, using the narrative of “Greater Albania” as a way to increase tensions. On the other hand, Serbian officials and media have mentioned the obstacles created for the Serbian List during the pre-election process, calling on Serbs to support this political entity, while Kurti has been accused of manipulating populism and increasing anti-Serbian hysteria. (here)
Analyze:
The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Serbia, Alexander Bocan-Kharchenko, has stated that the situation in Kosovo before the elections is a "high-risk area" for the escalation of the crisis, linking these statements to manipulations against the Serbian List party.
He has raised these claims on conspiratorial speculation, without providing concrete facts, and has reinforced the narratives of Russian-Serbian media and Serbian officials regarding the election campaign in Kosovo.
Based on its work methodology, hibrid.info considers this claim to be a "conspiracy theory".
Reasoning:
"Conspiracy theories" are considered to be informational content that contains a false or unverifiable description of a phenomenon, event or person, presenting it as part or the result of a secret plan ("conspiracy"). The characteristic of these contents is that they present a series of claims, presented as facts, between which cause-effect relationships are established, without providing any reliable evidence.