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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbs in north of Kosovo and Metohija demand respect for basic human rights

Belgrade, 19 December 2022

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said today that the Serbs in the north of Kosovo and Metohija are at the barricades because they demand respect for basic human rights and nothing more.

Appearing on Serbian Radio and Television, she pointed out that the Serbs left the institutions in Kosovo and Metohija only because they demanded respect for the Brussels Agreement more than ten years after its signing.

She recalled that the Serbs were in those institutions thanks to the mentioned agreement, pointing out that she is deeply disappointed with how the international community understands human rights and basic democratic values, as well as with its response to a series of provocations by Albin Kurti towards Serbs and other non-Albanians in the province.

Brnabic pointed out that there were more than 16 brutal provocations, violations of the Brussels Agreement and incursions to the teeth by armed members of the Kosovo Police, ROSU special forces in the north of Kosovo and Metohija.

She said that KFOR blocked the Jarinje checkpoint with barbed wire and that armed Kosovo special forces have been marching for days in the north of Kosovo and Metohija and that she is afraid of escalation, but that Belgrade will do everything to preserve peace and some sort of stability.

The Prime Minister warned that, unfortunately, there is no stability for Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, recalling that four Serbs were detained in December alone.

She emphasised that Belgrade will continue to hold talks with the international community, primarily with Brussels, adding that the President of Serbia is in daily contact with Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija.

The Prime Minister said that Belgrade expects the international community, primarily Brussels, but also Washington, to put pressure on Pristina to implement the Brussels Agreement as soon as possible, which means establishing the Community of Serbian Municipalities.

We received all assurances from the representative of the USA, Gabriel Escobar, that they will do it as soon as possible, she said, adding that we heard from Brussels several times during December that before any new agreements, the already signed ones must be implemented.

Speaking about the European integration of Serbia, Brnabic said that she does not think that it is threatened more than before or more than the integration of Albania, North Macedonia or any other country of the Western Balkans.

She said that now Brussels is on the move because we have fulfilled everything for the opening of Cluster 3, which is related to competitiveness and economy.

The Prime Minister pointed out that in its last two progress reports, the European Commission called on EU members to open Cluster 3 in negotiations with Serbia, but that it has not been opened.

The Prime Minister assessed that it was a political decision, and that Serbia's European integration is at a standstill thanks to the European Union, saying that reforms on the European path will continue because it is good for our country.