Andric Rakic: Kurti intimidates Serbs with his moves, the West can prevent that, but it balances

Milica Andric Rakic, Program Manager at NGO Social Initiative, says that it is hard to predict the next steps of Kosovo authorities after last week's raids on Serbian Provisional Institutions, post offices, and clinics, but she assumes they will stick to symbolic actions like removing billboards featuring Serbian politicians or the Serbian flag.

"I don't believe they will go beyond the Provisional Institutions. I assume they will stick to these symbolic actions. We can expect some sort of claiming public spaces under the guise of the rule of law and the removal of structures considered illegal if they bear Serbian symbols or Serbian identity. I assume this will continue because it seems there will be elections in Pristina. I see all these visits by Xhelal Svecla and Elbert Krasniqi to the north, three times a week, as a pre-election campaign, not necessarily as moves against Serbian institutions. The decision regarding the dinar is the real problem and how that will develop further," Andric Rakic says.

She emphasizes that the police raid on the Provisional Institutions, especially in Metohija, was very disturbing because they are very isolated, small communities, as is the case in the Gora municipality. She reminds that the first Serbian Provisional Institution to be closed was in Strpce two years ago.

"The physical closure of these institutions is not the same as their closure; they continue to operate. Besides the symbolic, even propaganda effect it has in the Albanian public, these actions are currently intimidating Serbs, but these institutions will not actually close; they will continue to operate under even more difficult conditions," Andric Rakic says.

Asked if someone can prevent such moves by Pristina, our interlocutor says there are many actors in the Western world who can prevent it, but the problem is that they try to find a balance between actions that would prevent such moves and avoiding causing too much damage to Kosovo and worsening its position in the dialogue.

"They clearly differentiate between Kosovo and their vision of Kosovo as an independent state that will enter NATO, primarily to enable KFOR to withdraw from that territory, and Albin Kurti, who is currently doing a lot to raise tensions. As long as Kurti is prime minister, there won't be any serious actions against him because that title protects him. The moment when and if he cannot form a government, his political career will seriously be questioned, at least when it comes to Western leaders," Andric Rakic believes.