Odalovic: It is particularly concerning that no party in Kosovo has condemned the terror against Serbs

The President of the Serbian Government's Commission for Missing Persons, Veljko Odalovic, stressed that it is particularly concerning that no political party in Kosovo has sent a message that it wants to build a common future with Serbs or condemned what he described as terror against the Serbian community.

“It is a very bad message that all parties remain silent about the terror that Albin Kurti is carrying out against Serbs. Not a single political party has sent a message that it wants to build a common future with the Serbs living in Kosovo, who continue to endure despite the terror. That is particularly concerning,” Odalovic told RTS.

He underlined that there can be no stability in an area inhabited by different ethnic communities if there is no representative of a non-majority community in government.

“Albanians irrationally do not want that, and that is also a problem with the opposition. Everything is allowed when it comes to Serbs,” Odalovic said.

He stressed that the Serb List should be congratulated on its election results, as well as on its courage and engagement, considering what he described as unprecedented terror against Serbs in recent days, when seven directors of institutions were arrested, as well as prominent Serbs in Goraždevac, all of whom, he said, would have voted for the Serb List.

“That shows that Kurti did everything to weaken the Serb List, to narrow its space for action, and to present it as not being the absolute representative of the Serbs. He has been doing that since February last year, when he provided Nenad Rasic with 1,075 votes, then had to find him 1,700 votes in the next elections, and now more than 2,000 votes in order to take one mandate away from the Serb List,” Odalovic explained.

He said that it is almost certain that Kurti will secure that one mandate for Rasic in this way, and that this demonstrates Kurti's willingness to provide him with as many votes as necessary in order to elevate his preferred Serb and present him as a representative of the Serbian community.

Odalovic emphasized that the elections have returned Kosovo to the situation that existed in February last year, a state of affairs that suits Kurti because it allows him, while serving in a caretaker capacity, to continue what Odalovic described as terror against Serbs.

According to him, it is particularly painful that members of the international community, especially European Commissioner Marta Kos, offered congratulations even before the results were announced, without saying a single word about what he described as terror against Serbs or the alleged election theft.

“That is concerning because it is obvious that some people in those centers of power approve of what Kurti is doing. There is no factor on the international stage capable of stopping him. We are witnessing a strong campaign in the Western Balkans regarding European integration, and the weakest point is Kosovo and Kurti. Those who could bring him to reason are officials of European institutions, but they remain silent,” Odalovic pointed out.

He recalled that Kurti is not implementing his obligations and said that he must be compelled to do so.

“That is the only way forward. The Americans are dealing with major global issues and are not focused on our region. They are, however, in a position to resolve this with a single strong message. Pristina is aware that without the support and influence of the United States, it has no prospects,” Odalovic explained.

He expressed confidence that a guilty verdict will be handed down in The Hague against Hashim Thaci and other former KLA leaders, adding that their return would significantly change the political scene in Pristina.

“I firmly believe that Thaci and the other defendants will receive guilty verdicts for crimes that have been proven. More than 100 people were killed, and there is indisputable evidence of that, which warrants a conviction without question. The prosecution's request for a 45-year sentence shows that the judicial institution understands the gravity of the evidence presented. Despite all the delays, the court will have to hand down sentences. If the worst-case scenario were to occur and they were acquitted, it would significantly alter the political landscape in Pristina,” Odalovic said.

He pointed out that Albanian politicians are deeply divided among themselves, noting that Thaci sent Ramush Haradinaj to The Hague twice, while Kurti sent Thaci there.