Milenkovic: Recent police actions have caused additional fear; Healthcare and education must not become part of the election campaign

Marko Milenkovic of the non-governmental organization New Social Initiative told Kosovo Online that the latest actions of the Kosovo Police—the raids on the Clinical Hospital Center (KBC) Kosovska Mitrovica and the Health Center in North Mitrovica—are causing additional insecurity and fear among the population. He emphasized that the Serbian community is currently most concerned about the functioning of healthcare and education, the two key sectors on which daily life and survival depend.

“What we saw was a sudden action that further alarmed the population and employees of the Clinical Hospital Center. In recent months we have also witnessed actions targeting sensitive areas of healthcare—private clinics, pharmacies, the pension fund and health insurance fund. These unilateral and unexpected actions only add fear and anxiety among the local population, while serving no other purpose than political promotion and point-scoring ahead of the upcoming local elections,” Milenkovic stressed.

He warned that it would be especially concerning if healthcare and education were to be used as themes in the political campaign.

“Probably due to the lack of other results or focus on key issues, attention has once again turned to the north—this time to healthcare and education. That is deeply troubling. We are witnessing new actions by the Kosovo Police, new displays of force, new unilateral moves that will endanger the normal functioning of the Serbian community, and I truly do not see how these problems will be overcome,” Milenkovic said.

He underscored that under the Brussels Agreement, healthcare and education are to be integrated through the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM), and that bypassing this process creates additional complications.

“The CSM is the framework for integrating all institutions operating within the system of the Republic of Serbia into the Kosovo system, and it is important not to skip those steps. What we have seen from Albin Kurti’s government is the abuse of positions and agreements from the dialogue, using narratives and the notion of potential integration as if it were leading to rule of law. In reality, these unilateral moves only lead to isolation and reduced access to essential services for the Serbian community. It is extremely important that we see a stronger approach from the international community in terms of pressure and concrete steps. The U.S. administration has recently offered somewhat more tangible reactions,” Milenkovic observed.

According to him, the international community plays a decisive role at this moment, since only its pressure can restrain the planned actions of Kosovo’s institutions.

“The crucial factor right now is the role of the international community. Only its influence can alter the approaches of political actors and curb the announced measures that Self-Determination has in store. We need a bold international community with clearly defined red lines and a firm approach, capable of preventing such unilateral actions that will harm the Serbian community,” Milenkovic concluded.