Office for Kosovo and Metohija: Miladinov denied entry to Kosovo, Pavicevic barred from visiting detained Serbs

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija of the Serbian Government stated that the authorities in Pristina this morning had prohibited Svetlana Miladinov, Assistant Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, from entering Kosovo to congratulate Serbian Orthodox believers on the major holiday of St. Nicholas, and that Dejan Pavicevic, Belgrade’s liaison officer, had also been barred from visiting detained Serbs.

“This represents a direct violation of the agreements on freedom of movement and official visits by Pristina, occurring just two days after the latest round of dialogue in Brussels. This demonstrates that Albin Kurti and Besnik Bislimi have no regard for the European Union or the dialogue process itself. During the trilateral meeting two days ago in Brussels, we once again agreed on the full respect of agreements regarding official visits, but Pristina has once again disregarded everything,” the statement said.

Pavicevic was scheduled to visit detained Serbs at 9 a.m. today to assess the conditions of their detention and their health, given numerous complaints about inhumane treatment and violations of their basic human rights.

“These bans reveal the full extent of Kurti’s regime’s weakness and confirm that his ratings have been seriously shaken ahead of the upcoming elections on February 9. He is trying to recover by imposing bans on Serbian representatives visiting Kosovo and Metohija. It has long been clear to us, as well as to the international community, that Kurti prioritizes ‘flexing his muscles’ against the Serbian people and Belgrade over respecting dialogue and agreements. Consequently, Belgrade has no choice but to respond in accordance with Pristina’s latest actions,” the Office for Kosovo and Metohija concluded.