Gogic: Serbs are victims of the conflict between the government and opposition in Pristina

Political scientist Ognjen Gogic assessed that the raid by the Kosovo Police on a Serbian-run medical clinic in Obilic/Obiliq is part of pre-election political competition between the government and opposition in Pristina, with Serbs serving as “collateral damage,” RT Balkan reports.

Commenting on yesterday’s closure of the clinic operating under the Serbian healthcare system in Obilic, Gogic recalled that a similar incident recently occurred in the municipality of Srbica/Skenderaj, where clinics in two Serbian villages were also shut down.

“The opposition is in power in Srbica, where the mayor is Sami Lushtaku, a former KLA member. He initiated the raid on the Serbian clinics. In Obilic, the inspection authorities came from Pristina. To me, this suggests that the opposition is challenging Albin Kurti and saying: ‘You are not the only one who can shut down Serbian institutions; we can do it as well,’” Gogic told RT Balkan.

“With this move, Pristina appears to be testing the EU and assessing how serious it is about the warnings it has issued. The targets here were healthcare institutions in the municipalities of Srbica and Obilic—areas where Serbs are a minority, namely enclaves. The pressure is being applied where Serbs are most vulnerable,” Gogic stated.

He noted that the clinics in the villages of Suvo Grlo and Banje in the municipality of Srbica resumed operations, while it remains to be seen whether the EU will react and compel the Albanian side to allow Serbian healthcare workers to continue their work in Obilic.

Gogic also pointed out that the healthcare and education systems are the most vulnerable sectors, currently under pressure and attack, and that this pattern is continuing.

“We know that the implementation of the Law on Foreigners in Kosovo and Metohija began on March 15. At that time, instructions came from the EU; Peter Sørensen was in Pristina, and it was agreed that Serbs living and working in Kosovo would be exempt from the Law on Foreigners so that they would not be forced to leave their homes,” he said.

He recalled that Pristina has repeatedly been warned not to jeopardize the functioning of the healthcare and education systems, concluding that both the government and the opposition are engaging in such actions as part of the election campaign.

Gogic emphasized that snap parliamentary elections will be held in Kosovo next week and that these will be the third elections in the past 16 months.

“The very fact that elections are being held so frequently already points to a further deterioration of the institutions and the political order in Kosovo and Metohija. That is part of the explanation for what is happening to the Serbs as well. They are collateral damage in the conflict among Albanians,” the analyst believes.

He also recalled the raid on three railway stations in northern Kosovo, when the Kosovo Police blocked access to the stations with several special-unit vehicles before installing Kosovo flags and signs bearing the name Infrakos.

“The takeover of the railway facilities took place on the first day of the election campaign. Kurti continues his policy of taking over Serbian institutions. He took over empty buildings but staged it as though he had liberated Kosovo and Metohija. He has become accustomed to sending voters the message that he governs Kosovo with a firm hand, but that is no longer enough because people have become disappointed,” Gogic concluded.