Petkovic: Kurti continues the violent militarization and occupation of northern Kosovo

Petar Petković
Source: Kosovo Online

The Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, emphasizes that Kosovo's Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, is continuing the illegal and violent militarization and occupation of northern Kosovo with the construction of yet another police station, this time in Istok, in the municipality of Zvecan, just two kilometers from the border with Serbia.

"The only things he builds and opens in northern Kosovo and Metohija are police bases, stations, and occupation centers where he places his monoethnic police units with bullets in the chamber. Furthermore, they have no business being in northern Kosovo and Metohija under any provision of the agreements or accords made in Brussels. Belgrade continuously warns that Pristina is preparing to attack the Serbian people in northern Kosovo and Metohija, aiming to provoke conflicts and crises in the region amid the election campaign. Kurti has no other policies or results to offer, so he deliberately raises tensions, openly threatens, and rattles weapons," Petkovic stated.

He reminds that since Kurti came to power, four illegal bases have been established in northern Kosovo.

"Since his assumption of power, four illegal bases have been built in northern Kosovo and Metohija, in Zubin Potok and Leposavic. In Leposavic, three new police stations have been opened or are under construction, while in Zubin Potok, a new police outpost is being built near a Serbian elementary school. In Zvecan, Kurti is even using municipal premises to house his special units. At the same time, in North Mitrovica, Kurti uses confiscated Serbian properties to accommodate his armed police units. All of this happens in full view of the international community, which remains silent and passively observes, despite being regularly informed and warned about Kurti's occupation and police brutality," Petkovic stressed.

He points out that since Kurti took office, seven Serbs have been shot.

"His units terrorize and harass women and children and detain those who record their terror or peacefully oppose it. Given this militarization and fortification of northern Kosovo and Metohija, it is no surprise that Serbs are leaving the region. Under the police occupation he is implementing, there is no life for Serbs in northern Kosovo and Metohija, which is precisely his intent," Petkovic concluded.