Petkovic with Photiou on Pristina’s actions: Instead of dialogue – institutional violence and arrests of Serbs

The Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, met today with the Ambassador of Cyprus, Andreas Photiou, to discuss the situation in Kosovo. On that occasion, he conveyed Belgrade’s concerns over Pristina’s obstruction of dialogue and its attempts to change the situation on the ground to the detriment of the Serbian people through imposed, unilateral, and violent actions.

Petkovic emphasized that all of Belgrade’s efforts toward normalization and compromise are met with resistance from Pristina, which seeks neither peace nor resolution, but solely tensions aimed at the permanent destabilization of the situation in Kosovo and the expulsion of the Serbian population.

“For more than 12 years, the Serbian people have been waiting for the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities, which Pristina committed to under the First Brussels Agreement. That structure would resolve many of the problems we currently face on the ground, especially those related to the rights and security of the Serbian people. Instead, we are witnessing daily arrests of Serbs and institutional and physical violence, from which even our children and women are not spared,” Petkovic stressed.

He stated that the Serbian people in Kosovo expect a greater level of protection and advocacy from the international community for their violated rights and endangered safety, a matter that Serbian political representatives from the Serb List regularly raise with international missions operating in the region.

In a cordial conversation, Petkovic thanked the Ambassador of Cyprus for his understanding and support of Serbia’s position and the Serbian people, as well as for Cyprus’s continued advocacy for the preservation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia.