Serbia, Kosovo exchange accusations during UN Security Council session
(MENAFN) Kosovo and Serbia exchanged harsh accusations during a UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday, debating the continuation of the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). While Kosovo demanded that the mission be terminated, calling it obsolete and wasteful, Serbia insisted that it must remain in place.
Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla-Schwarz rejected Belgrade’s terminology, stating: “‘Kosovo and Metohija’ is a clear expression of the hegemonic ambitions of Serbia over Kosovo.”
Serbia, which refuses to recognize Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence, continues to use the pre-independence name for the territory.
Gervalla-Schwarz accused Serbia of posing a genuine threat to regional peace. "In the present, Serbia is a real threat to the region … We see the systematic spread of propaganda preparing a military aggression against our country," she said.
She alleged that Serbia’s military buildup exceeds defensive needs, claiming it is “equipped even by Russia and China,” and pointed to recent joint exercises held with both nations.
According to her, Belgrade’s moves are driven by broader geopolitical ambitions rather than local disputes. "It's not about four small municipalities, it's about Russia, its allies and geopolitics," she said, referring to Serb-majority districts in northern Kosovo that have been flashpoints for ongoing tensions.
"For a reason, many call it little Russia, because Russia is deeply embedded in Serbia," she added.
Labeling the UNMIK report “biased and incomplete,” Gervalla-Schwarz argued that it fails to reflect the true situation and insisted that the mission “has to be closed. It is a huge waste of UN money. It serves no purpose anymore.”
Responding to those remarks, Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric said that the reality for Kosovo’s Serb population is “far more dire” than reflected in the report, arguing that it does not “capture the full horror unfolding daily.”
Describing the situation as “the shattering of human lives” and a “systemic denial of rights,” he accused Kosovo of violating agreements and fueling regional instability. Djuric criticized what he called “the ongoing militarization of Kosovo,” asserting that Serbia remains dedicated to peace and the protection of ethnic Serbs in the territory.
He urged the Security Council “to uphold UNMIK fully, condemn abuses of Serbs’ rights, and defend international law as the bedrock of security.”
Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008, has been recognized by 108 countries, including the US and Türkiye. Serbia, however, continues to regard it as part of its sovereign territory.
Tensions between the two sides have persisted in recent years, particularly in Serb-majority regions of northern Kosovo, occasionally prompting Serbia to mobilize troops along the border — heightening concerns over renewed instability in the Balkans.
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