Djuric: We demand the release of Igor Popovic, Serbia will respond seriously and firmly

Serbia demands the immediate release of Igor Popovic and will insist on sanctions against the decision-makers behind the orchestrated campaign of pressure and violence against the Serbian people in Kosovo from early 2022 to the present, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Marko Djuric said. He announced concrete diplomatic, political, and legal steps by Serbian state institutions toward those responsible in this and similar cases.

“Popovic is in prison as a representative of the Serbian state, as someone who attended a memorial service for 47 murdered Serbs and Roma in the Orahovac and Velika Hoca areas, killed by the terrorist KLA. It was precisely because of that characterization that the arrest occurred. This is an attempt to put Serbia on trial, to put history on trial, and to rewrite the historical truth about the terrorist nature of the KLA,” Djuric emphasized in a statement to RTS.

He also reminded that UN Security Council Resolution 1160 from 1998 explicitly condemns the terrorist activities of the KLA and noted that Popovic was arrested in connection with matters being processed by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague.

“The Orahovac case is also on trial in The Hague. Popovic was arrested to send a message to Serbs – because he fights for their rights and has always been tasked with helping people with legal issues before the Pristina institutions – that they are not welcome. In the coming days, you will see a multi-layered response from the state, as President Aleksandar Vucic announced. We will respond firmly, seriously, and responsibly. We are committed to peace and stability, you will not see us do anything that could worsen the position of the Serbian people, but you will see steps that will strike at the decision-makers behind such actions,” Djuric stated.

He added that instructions have been sent to all Serbian embassies, particularly in EU countries, to increase their level of activity during this period. The goal, he said, is to raise awareness so that Igor Popovic’s case does not go unnoticed, and to secure his release, along with that of 47 political prisoners in Kosovo.

Regarding yesterday’s meetings in Belgrade with EU country representatives, Djuric said he held separate talks with officials from countries that do not recognize Kosovo, speaking with them first, as they are expected to clearly and publicly support the fight for Igor Popovic’s freedom and the defense of European norms and the continuation of dialogue.

“What Kurti has done to Popovic is a landmine placed under the foundations of the dialogue, one he actually wants to destroy,” Djuric underlined.

He particularly stressed that Kurti also wants to prevent Serbs from retaking control of municipalities in the north in the upcoming October elections.

“That is why he is playing with the construction of bridges in Mitrovica, why proceedings are being initiated against officials from the Serb List, and why Igor Popovic is being persecuted. The goal is to push Serbs away from those elections, from participating in them, and from taking back control of local institutions,” Serbia’s top diplomat stated.

He also reported that in his discussions yesterday, he highlighted violations of international law and demanded Popovic’s release and sanctions against officials in Kurti’s institutions who are involved in systematic human rights violations against Serbs.

“The representatives we have met with so far have all unequivocally condemned Pristina’s behavior. Some have done so mildly in public, some remain silent for now, but none have spoken clearly or loudly enough, not even EU officials, who are obligated not just to condemn, but to take concrete steps. They still seem to be weighing their response. We will exert serious pressure, both on EU member states and on Brussels, to ensure Popovic is released. Any meetings are out of the question while members of our negotiating team are being arrested,” Djuric said, announcing that today there will be talks with diplomatic representatives from China and the Russian Federation.

Djuric also stated that the EU’s measures regime against Pristina must be tightened and expanded.

The minister emphasized that the case of Igor Popovic is not an isolated act, but part of a broader plan and mechanism for persecuting the Serbian population in Kosovo.