Office for Kosovo and Metohija: Closing Serbian municipalities in Metohija a continuation of ethnic cleansing and extermination of Serbs

Today's armed incursion of Kosovo Police members into the Provisional Authorities of municipalities Pec (in Gorazdevac), Istok (in the village of Osojane), and Klina (in the village of Vidanje) is a continuation of ethnic cleansing and extermination of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija under the direct leadership of Albin Kurti, in full view of the entire international community, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija announced.

"Kurti's special forces have closed Serbian municipalities in Metohija, which were completely forcibly ethnically cleansed of Serbs during the conflicts of 1999 and later during the Pogrom in 2004. With great difficulty, Serbs returned in small numbers to their homes and to the returnee settlements where their lives were guaranteed by the international community, and today Kurti, with police, long guns, and armored vehicles, is expelling them again," the statement said.

It is added that during today's illegal and violent actions, the presidents of the provisional bodies were brought in for questioning, and in the violent intrusion into peaceful Serbian communities, health centers, clinics, and pharmacies were also closed.

"This kind of action followed last week's invasion of the municipality of Gora, which was not condemned by any member of the international community, and their loud silence makes them accomplices in such Kurti's deeds," the Office for Kosovo and Metohija's statement concludes.