Photo: AP/Darko VojinovićChairman of the Serbia Center party and former chief of the General Staff, Zdravko Ponoš, commented for "Vreme" the situation in Kosovo and the moves of the Serbian Army after the clash between a group of armed persons and the Kosovo police in the village of Banjska. He says, too often, the army is given commands without a real security reason
Last week, a new political party, the Srbija Center Party (SRCE), was officially founded. Zdravko Ponoš, former chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Army and a candidate in the 2022 presidential elections, was elected president of the party.
For the "Vremena" portal, Ponoš commented on the situation in Kosovo and the moves of the Serbian Army that followed the emerging crisis when a group of armed persons attacked members of the Kosovo police in the village of Banjska.
"The Chief of the General Staff can only be issued an order by a person who is above him, here specifically the President of the State. In this case it happens all too often and for no real security reason. The reasons are mostly of a political and marketing nature, so unfortunately that was the case this time as well. It's just that until now they didn't need to justify themselves in the world, but it was mainly for domestic use.
Only this time the commander had to justify himself to Blinken and the European officials CNN interview where he looked like he was taking an apprenticeship exam... It was an unnecessary operation for the needs of the domestic public, and it caused domestic damage", says Ponoš.
It is incredible that Radoičić is his own political boss
As for the security situation on the administrative line, Ponoš believes that there will be no major complications because, as he says, things rarely happen there by themselves or due to circumstances.
"Mostly it is an instrument of Pristina politics. In this case, a Muslim believes that the Belgrade government contributed to making things worse.
I think that political pressure will now begin for the responsibility of whoever and on whose order equipped, armed and launched the paramilitary organization of Serbs in Kosovo. Is it really Radoičić who has taken full responsibility, which is almost unbelievable that he is his own political boss", Ponoš said.
Bad signal for Serbia
He estimates that our government will perhaps try to determine responsibility through the domestic judiciary.
"The question is whether actors from the outside have the impression that it will experience a true epilogue. But if they accept that Radoičić is responsible for everything, then it could be a very bad signal. It could mean that someone who is his principal reached some kind of deal, which amnesties him, but that means that it is certainly to the detriment of Serbia", says Ponoš.
The program of the SRCE party contains the concept of public policies in 22 thematic units: economy, energy, education, health and social policy, culture, media, sports, democracy and the rule of law, lustration and anti-corruption, foreign policy, Kosovo and Metohija, diaspora, security and defense and other areas.
Sanja Zrnić
Read daily news, analysis, commentary and interviews at www.vreme.com
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