The article with misinformation from the Kurir.rs medium was corrected after being handled by hibrid.info (see the corrected article). here and here)
The Kosovo government's decision to reciprocate with Serbia on travel documents and the removal of illegal license plates caused tensions in the north of the country. Local Serbs blocked the roads connecting the two Kosovo-Serbia border crossings, which led to the decision being postponed for a month.
The tension of the situation also arose as a result of disinformation that was mainly sourced from certain media outlets and groups on Russian and Serbian social media platforms. Despite the warnings, these channels were put to work disinformation with the content posted and distributed. (see here)
Following the developments in the north, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, was interviewed by foreign media outlets such as: La Republica, Radio Free Europe (REL) and Reuters.
Kurti, in an interview with the newspaper “La Republicca”, assessed that there is a high risk of a new conflict between Kosovo and Serbia. “The risk of a new conflict between Kosovo and Serbia is high. I would be irresponsible if I said otherwise, especially after the world has seen what Russia has done to Ukraine” – declared Kurti. (see here)
While in the interview for “Reuters”, he spoke about a possible attack from Serbia because, according to him, the unrest with the Serbian minority could result in armed conflict. “We should not exclude the fact that these aggressive policies of Belgrade could turn into an attack against Kosovo in one way or another”, Kurti told Reuters, adding that “We are vigilant, but not afraid”. “I am not saying that they will attack us this week or in the following, but it would be completely irresponsible to exclude the possibility of increasing tensions and new conflicts”, Prime Minister Kurti had said. (see here)
Prime Minister Kurti, in an interview given to Radio Free Europe (RFE/RL), stated that the situation in the north could escalate into armed conflict “due to the fear injected by Belgrade and due to the plans made in Raška and Belgrade.” (see here)
The first reaction to Kurti's statements was made by the head of the Office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia, Petar Petkovic, who, through a statement published on August 11 on his Twitter account, interpreted the statements of the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, as preparations and a call for war. (see here)
Hibrid.info, after verifying the facts, has found that the statement of this senior Serbian official, made through his Twitter account, is unfounded. In fact, what can be observed from the content of this post is an interpretation with the aim of diverting the statements of political and institutional representatives of Kosovo. (see here)
The reaction of the head of the Office for Kosovo, Petar Petkovic, was also reported in the Serbian media, being interpreted as a synchronized campaign against Serbs. (see here, here and here)
Serbian President Vučić's statements, related to Albin Kurti's recent interviews with international media, appear to have been misinterpreted as accusing Pristina of an attack to liquidate Serbs.
The claims of Serbian President Vučić, published in the article of the news agency "Tanjug.rs", are not based on concrete facts. Vučić builds his claims by linking them to the interviews of Albin Kurti given to international media (The Republic, Radio Free Europe and Reuters), and interpreting them as a campaign against Serbia, and that not Serbia but Kosovo is planning an attack to liquidate Serbs. (see here)
Vučić's statements took place in the Serbian media space, with the emphasis on the part of the statement where Vučić says that Pristina is preparing the liquidation of the Serbs of the north. (see here, here and here)
Albin Kurti, in an interview given to the international news agency Reuters, states that: "the possibility of new tensions and conflicts cannot be ruled out", a statement that leaves no room for interpretations of any attack on Serbs. Such claims by Vučić turn out to be a fabricated political narrative not based on concrete facts.
(Analysis by Festim Rizanaj)