Kurti says Serbia failed to weaken Kosovo police

Kosovo’s acting prime minister says Serbia failed in an attempt to weaken the country’s police by pushing Serb officers to leave their posts.

Albin Kurti said the force remained multi-ethnic and that Kosovo’s security and state control had not been damaged.

He spoke at a ceremony for officers killed on duty, marking the 2011 death of policeman Enver Zymberi during an operation in northern Kosovo.

The remarks followed Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić’s claim that Kosovo remains part of Serbia and that a defence pact between Kosovo, Albania and Croatia is directed against Belgrade.

Kosovo declared independence in 2008, but Serbia does not recognise it.