Milovic: The incursion into "Rajska Banja" violated human rights to work and treatment

Vice President of the Serb List, Dragisa Milovic, emphasized that the incursion of the Kosovo Police into the "Rajska Banja" complex in Banjska violated human rights to work and treatment, all with the aim of silently forcing the exodus of Serbs from northern Kosovo.

Milovic said for RTS that, considering Pristina's previous actions, the experience showed that anything was possible and anything could be expected.

"It is possible, as we have seen, for heavily armed individuals on a holiday, on St. Nicholas Day, deliberately chosen when people celebrate their patron saint, to invade the 'Rajska Banja' complex, force workers out onto the street, and attempt to hand over the facility to the Privatization Agency of Kosovo by force," Milovic said.

He reminded that the "Rajska Banja" complex had been built with funds from the Government of Serbia, the Eparchy of Raska and Prizren, and the Office for Kosovo and Metohija.

"Now, someone is trying to forcibly usurp it and hand it over to the Kosovo Police. Sixty locals found employment there; 60 families lived off work in that complex. Thousands of our patients used the spa for treatment. With this move, people are denied the right to work and treatment," he emphasized.

Milovic pointed out that "Rajska Banja" had become known more widely, and someone disapproved of that, which was another reason for intimidation.

"This is intimidation of the locals to make them leave their centuries-old hearths. Such moves do not lead to de-escalation, and we are concerned about what the days ahead may bring, given that violence is prevalent at every step," he said, emphasizing that "Rajska Banja" was located in a zone protected as cultural heritage, which was also not respected.

Regarding the road being built through Serbian property, Milovic said that it was another example of disregarding the property rights of Serbs in Kosovo.

"It involves violence, disrespect for property rights, and the use of force to build a road where only Serbs live, regardless of the lack of consent. Heavy machinery with police support continues to usurp Serbian property. This only shows that neither property rights nor human rights are respected," Milovic said.

He pointed out that all of it was for the purpose of intimidation, with the goal of quietly forcing Serbs to leave their homes.

What worries Serbs in Kosovo the most, according to Milovic, is that all of this is happening in the presence of the international community, which is there under Resolution 1244.

They should ensure rights for all citizens, Milovic said, including the right to treatment and the right to return, which no one talks about anymore, and 200,000 Serbs have not returned for 23 to 24 years.

"We have no freedom, no freedom of movement; for six months now, the crossings at Jarinje and Brnjak have been closed for our goods. Our local government workers have been without offices for six months; the Kosovo Police forces are in them. That is the state of the suffering Serbian people, and the international community does not react to it," he emphasized.

Asked about the elections held on Sunday, Milovic said that even the ban on Serbs voting in Kosovo represented another move by Pristina to deprive them of their rights, in this case, the right to vote.

"Despite difficulties, our citizens waited at the crossings for up to four and a half hours, and we voted. Everything was done to prevent as few people from Kosovo as possible from voting, but the citizens were patient and went to the polls and cast their votes. The 'Aleksandar Vucic – Serbia Must Not Stop' list gained convincing trust from the citizens because economically strong and politically stable Serbia is the only guarantee for our survival in Kosovo and Metohija," he emphasized.

As he pointed out, the turnout of Serbs in such numbers speaks to the unbreakable bond with Serbia, which only strengthens.

Milovic mentioned that representatives of international organizations in Kosovo had guaranteed before the elections that there would be no obstructions.

"But we saw how many problems we had, and despite the fact that Pristina's moves are escalating, I expect the international community to speak up and put an end to this, to do their job within the framework of Resolution 1244," Milovic concluded.