Petkovic with Bunford: Military agreement between Croatia, Albania, and Kosovo undermines regional security

The Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, met with the Hungarian Prime Minister's Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Zsolt Bunford.

According to the statement from the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petkovic conveyed Belgrade’s position on the latest developments in Kosovo, emphasizing that nearly 12 years have passed without Pristina fulfilling its obligation to establish the Community of Serb Municipalities, as required by the Brussels Agreement and guaranteed by the EU.

During the discussion, Petkovic specifically drew Bunford’s attention to the military cooperation agreement between Kosovo, Albania, and Croatia.

Petkovic informed Bunford about the daily institutional and physical violence that the Pristina authorities impose on Serbs. He pointed out that, in a short period, Pristina has unilaterally and forcibly shut down several Serbian institutions across Kosovo. He noted that these institutions had provided essential services, not only to Serbs but also to other communities, including social benefits, salaries, and pensions, and that these closures affected critical establishments such as social welfare centers, the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund, post offices, and provisional municipal bodies.

He emphasized that these closed institutions were meant to serve as the foundation for the CSM, and that, as stated, Albin Kurti demonstrated that he has no intention of allowing its formation.

During the conversation, Petkovic also underscored that the military cooperation agreement between Kosovo, Albania, and Croatia not only directly violates the existing sub-regional arms control agreement but also serves as a direct provocation against Belgrade and the Serbian people in Kosovo. He warned that this could destabilize regional security, peace, and stability.

The statement notes that Petkovic informed the Hungarian official about the manipulation of election results by the Pristina authorities, which, he claimed, overturned the will of Serbian voters in the recent parliamentary elections.

According to Petkovic, the Serb List achieved an absolute and decisive victory, securing all 10 parliamentary seats reserved for the Serbian community. However, through various manipulations and irregularities, Kurti managed to take away one seat from the Serb List and assign it to Nenad Rasic, who was not elected by Serbian votes and therefore lacks legitimacy to represent the Serbian people.

Petkovic described the ongoing disenfranchisement of Serbs in Kosovo, stating that the Pristina authorities are subjecting them to daily persecution and harassment with the goal of ultimately expelling them from the province and fulfilling Kurti’s vision of an ethnically pure Kosovo and Metohija.

At the end of the meeting, the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija expressed special gratitude for Hungary’s contribution to the KFOR mission, emphasizing that Serbs trust Hungarian soldiers, particularly given the strong relations between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Petkovic concluded by reaffirming Belgrade’s commitment to resolving all outstanding issues with Pristina through dialogue while firmly defending Serbian national and state interests.