The Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petković, met with the EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, Peter Sørensen. During the meeting, Petković informed the EU representative about the challenging situation faced by the Serbian population in Kosovo and the ongoing difficulties encountered in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. According to Petković, these challenges stem primarily from counterproductive actions by the authorities in Pristina, who consistently refuse any form of compromise, as indicated in a statement issued by the Office for Kosovo and Metohija.
Petković emphasized that Belgrade’s primary focus continues to be the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities, viewed as a fundamental element in the dialogue process to date. Consequently, Belgrade will persistently request both Pristina and Brussels to fulfil this obligation, as agreed upon in previous negotiation processes.
The Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija highlighted that the authorities in Pristina have recently unlawfully and forcibly closed numerous Serbian institutions in Kosovo, institutions intended to serve as the foundation for the future Community of Serb Municipalities. Petković characterized these measures as a clear indication of Pristina’s unwillingness to implement the previously agreed framework.
“By shutting down social welfare centres, the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund, branches of the Postal Savings Bank, and temporary administrative bodies of Serbian municipalities, Pristina has initiated a series of actions escalating tensions and jeopardizing fundamental rights and the very existence of the Serbian community in Kosovo,” Petković stated. He further noted that all actions taken by Prime Minister Albin Kurti appear aimed at the permanent displacement of the Serbian community from Kosovo, thereby fulfilling his long-standing goal of creating an ethnically homogeneous Kosovo.
During the meeting, Petković also drew attention to acute issues related to the fundamental rights deprivation faced by the Serbian population in Kosovo, along with daily violence and intimidation by the authorities in Pristina.
“Belgrade remains committed to dialogue as the primary instrument for normalizing the situation in the province and the wider region, and it will insist on resolving all outstanding issues exclusively through peaceful and political means. Additionally, full implementation of all previously agreed-upon accords is essential, without which normalization on the ground cannot be achieved,” Petković asserted.
In conclusion, Petković affirmed that Pristina’s unilateral and unlawful measures exacerbate tensions, obstruct dialogue, and hinder progress in the normalization process.
Furthermore, during the meeting, Veljko Odalović, President of the Commission for Missing Persons of the Republic of Serbia, informed the EU representative about challenges in resolving missing persons’ cases. He underscored the crucial role of the Working Group on Missing Persons, operating under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
In this context, Petković expressed Belgrade’s readiness to support EU efforts aimed at building mutual trust, particularly through discussions focusing on the implementation of technical aspects of previously concluded agreements concerning missing persons and the harmonization of specific certificates.
After the meeting, the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija expressed hope that obstacles impeding the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue would soon be removed and that the European Union would successfully reinvigorate the normalization process, prioritizing the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities.
