Djuric on the incident in North Mitrovica: Is this Kurti’s version of democracy?

Following the incident in which a Kosovo police officer grabbed a Serbian high school graduate by the neck on a promenade in North Mitrovica, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Marko Djuric questioned what kind of system allows police officers to assault teenagers based on their ethnic background—openly, in broad daylight, and without consequences.

“The disturbing image of a young Serbian boy being pushed and choked by Kurti’s police in the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica is more than just a moment of violence—it is yet another glimpse into the daily reality faced by the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija,” Djuric wrote on the social media platform X.

He went on to ask: “Is this Kurti’s version of democracy?”

“When ethnic intimidation replaces justice, we must all raise our voices and demand that such acts do not go unpunished. Kurti must be held accountable,” Djuric emphasized.

Earlier today, Vice President of the Serb List, Ivan Zaporozac, stated that the Kosovo Police physically attacked a Serbian graduate in North Mitrovica, describing it as a deliberate attempt to intimidate Serbian youth. He said the young man was subjected to physical abuse—being grabbed by the neck, shoved, and verbally harassed—solely because of his ethnicity.

Deputy Commander of the Kosovo Police for the North Region, Veton Elshani, confirmed for Kosovo Online that an incident had occurred on the promenade involving a high school graduate, but claimed the student “provoked people sitting at the lower end of the promenade by showing the three-finger salute.”

He added that the graduation parade had been reported in advance to the police, who were present to ensure the event's security.

“As they walked along the promenade, he was showing the three fingers to people sitting at the end of the promenade and provoking those drinking coffee. The police intervened and told him not to provoke. As for the video circulating on social media, I must point out that the red marks on his neck are paint. There was no blood,” said Elshani, adding that, in his opinion, there was no excessive use of force and that the student was not arrested but was given a “verbal warning.”