Petkovic: Abolishing payment transactions aiming at the exodus of the Serbs; everyone in Pristina is using the euro illegally

Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, assessed for RTS that the attempt to abolish payment transactions in the Kosovo and Metohija region was one of the most difficult decisions and unilateral moves by Albin Kurti, aiming at "literally the exodus of the Serbs, striking at the survival of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija". He stated that "both Bislimi, Kurti, and everyone in Pristina, are using the euro illegally, and now they dare to say that the dinar is illegal and has no right to be in the Kosovo and Metohija region“.

"You know, when you want to abolish someone's salaries, pensions, social benefits, student scholarships, material costs for the survival and functioning of institutions, it is clear that you want to deal with the Serbs. So, legally, according to the law, or however you want to put it, the foundation and we have strongly opposed this way of trampling on the rights of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija", Petkovic said.

He added that the media address was just one segment of the diplomatic struggle that had been going on for days.

"Now we have heard President Aleksandar Vucic from Davos, he had very significant meetings and discussions with numerous international representatives, the most influential people in the world, where he talked to them about the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and especially about what might happen if this decision of Pristina, which concerns payment transactions, comes into effect. So, we here in Belgrade, in the meantime, but also in the days we learned about that information, started with numerous diplomatic contacts and meetings with relevant state bodies, the banking sector, the post office, and the postal savings bank", the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija stated.

Petkovic emphasized that important analyses had been made "with representatives of the Quint and with everyone in the European Union", and that the catastrophic extent had been clearly presented to them if such a unilateral decision by Pristina came into effect.

"I certainly expect what Mr. Lajcak said to be fulfilled, that he hoped for a solution that would not end with negative consequences. This is extremely important. Because if Bislimi says that the dinar cannot be used in Kosovo and Metohija, and that those who use the dinar are violators of the law, then let's open the question of the currency status in Kosovo and Metohija. When you see the report of the European Commission and the European Central Bank, you will see that it clearly states that the euro is not a legal means of payment in Kosovo and Metohija", Petkovic stated.

He emphasized that the only currency approved in Kosovo and Metohija was the dinar, approved by the National Bank.

"To explain: Both Bislimi, Kurti, and everyone in Pristina, use the euro illegally, and now they dare to say that the dinar is illegal and has no right to be in Kosovo and Metohija. In fact, the only currency approved in Kosovo and Metohija is the dinar, approved by the National Bank, not the euro. Because no agreement, no deal of so-called Kosovo has ever been signed with the European Central Bank or the European Union. So, we will raise that question separately. Let's see how those who violate European norms, standards, and regulations can now abolish the dinar, which is legal in Kosovo and Metohija. That is what is particularly important", Petkovic concluded.

He emphasized that when looking at the Brussels dialogue and all agreements related to the formation of the CSM, "it all relates to financial transactions in dinars".

"Just tell me how many times has the European Union called on Pristina to move in the direction of de-escalation? Instead of continuing towards normalization, dialogue, reducing tensions in Northern Kosovo and Metohija, especially after Belgrade's very constructive approach regarding freedom of movement, we now have a move by Pristina that sets us back ten steps", Petkovic stated.

According to him, Serbia will absolutely do everything.

"We are now engaged in a serious diplomatic battle to simply prevent this decision from coming into effect. But considering who we have to talk to, who is on the other side of the table thinking exclusively about crises, escalating the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, I don't know what to say. As for Belgrade and Serbia, we will not allow any Serb, or anyone receiving a salary, pension, or any social benefits, or conducting a financial transaction in dinars in Kosovo and Metohija, we will not leave any of them without their earnings because we cannot agree to that because Kurti's goal is, with such a violent, unlawful regulation, actually heading towards ethnic cleansing of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija", the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija stated.

Petitions: Signatures collected in North Mitrovica and Leposavic

Speaking about petitions for the removal of mayors, Petkovic emphasizes that signatures for the petition have been collected in North Mitrovica and Leposavic.

"Today, it starts in Zvecan and Zubin Potok at 9 a.m., and I expect that the citizens in these two municipalities will quickly collect signatures, clearly indicating that the so-called mayors have no place there", Petkovic stated.

He added that since the petitions had been initiated, there had been complete panic in Pristina.

"If I were to tell you about all possible moves by Pristina and that Albanian local leadership in these four municipalities, I could write a book about all the fabricated reasons and obstructions just to prevent the start of signature collection... You will see a deluge of nonsense just to avoid the start of the signature collection because Albin Kurti's main goal is to present it as a kind of his goodwill, that he is ready to go towards elections when, in fact, he never wanted nor wants those elections to happen", Petkovic said.

He recalled how it looked "when Kurti calls on the Serbs" to participate in elections and how those elections had been boycotted, "and when the state of Serbia calls, you saw endless lines of people, waiting to fill out those forms to remove those mayors".

"It is necessary here not only to remove these false illegitimate mayors but also to remove the Albanian illegitimate councilors who were also elected in those elections. Because if these elections were not legitimate because only 3.5 percent and the Albanians voted in the Serb-majority north of Kosovo and Metohija, where 96 percent are the Serbs, it is clear that they have no legitimacy", the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija stated.