The German Embassy in Kosovo said on Tuesday that it is deeply concerned by attempts to politicize the engagement of Kosovo Security Force (KSF) search and rescue teams in Lake Ujman, in the search for the body of a 33-year-old man who allegedly jumped from the lake's bridge two days ago.
Ujmani is located in Zubin Potok, one of four municipalities in northern Kosovo inhabited by a Serb majority.
The body was found a few hours after the KSF's involvement. Previously, the KSF operation had received the green light from the NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR, on the grounds that it was for humanitarian purposes.
"The tragic loss of a young man's life should be a moment of collective grief and not an opportunity to score political points," the German Embassy said.
According to her, the statements of political actors that this KSF mission is "the first in northern Kosovo" only misinterpret the purpose of the engagement.
"Equally concerning are the allegations of photo manipulation - specifically, the removal of visible elements of KFOR's presence - to promote a misleading narrative. Such actions risk undermining public trust and distracting from the humanitarian focus of the mission," the response said, among other things.
This reaction is a reference to a debate that has erupted on social media regarding two photos near Ujman. One shows KSF and KFOR vehicles, while the other shows only KSF vehicles. Some claim that the images were deliberately manipulated by government officials so that the KFOR presence there would not be visible.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was unable to confirm whether the photos were manipulated.
The Embassy has said that it fully supports the KFOR mission and appreciates the efforts of this mission, as well as the KSF, for search and rescue.
"Their professionalization and cooperation are for the benefit of the public and serve as a reminder of what can be achieved when institutions work together in the service of human dignity."
Through a post on Facebook, the KSF said that the operation was conducted in coordination with the Kosovo Police, the NATO mission in Kosovo (KFOR) and the Emergency Management Agency.
"The body has been handed over to the authorities for further investigative procedures," it was said, among other things, on Facebook.
The operation was carried out on the orders of the Commander of the KSF, Lieutenant General Bashkim Jashari.
The deployment of the KSF to the north of the country is possible only with the prior consent of the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, based on the 2013 commitment by the Government of Kosovo to NATO. This commitment, given through a letter from former Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi to the then NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, remains in force today, despite changes in the KSF’s mandate.
After this incident, the Kosovo Police has called on citizens not to jump from the bridge in Ujman.
Otherwise, the KSF is in the process of transforming itself into an army, following the approved legal changes. This process is expected to be completed in 2028./ REL (A2 Televizion)
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