Petkovic: Pristina's policy is to glorify those who committed crimes against Serbs while persecuting those who devoted their lives to peace

Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic said today, commenting on the painting of a mural depicting former KLA leaders, that Pristina's policy is to glorify those who committed crimes against Serbs while banning and persecuting those who devoted their lives to peace, faith, and reconciliation.

“While murals are being painted in Pristina depicting leaders of the so-called KLA, glorifying those who are on trial in The Hague for the most heinous crimes against Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, in North Mitrovica, Kurti's police recently banned the painting of a mural depicting Patriarch Pavle and detained the artist, who had even obtained permission from the municipality,” Petkovic wrote on the social media platform X.

He asked whether representatives of the international community would have anything to say about this.

“So, Pristina's policy is to glorify those who committed crimes against Serbs while banning and persecuting those who have never uttered a harsh word and who devoted their lives to peace, faith, and reconciliation. What will representatives of the international community in Kosovo and Metohija say about this, and will they say anything at all?” Petkovic said.

A large mural dedicated to former KLA leaders is being painted today at a location in Pristina. The wall features depictions of former KLA leaders Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi in a single composition.

The artist is still working on the mural, which is being created during the final stage of the court proceedings against them in The Hague, with the first-instance verdict due to be handed down on September 16.

On the other hand, at the end of June, Kosovo Police detained artist Stefan Stojanovic Slash and filed a misdemeanor report against him when he attempted to repaint a mural in North Mitrovica depicting Patriarch Pavle and Metropolitan Amfilohije, which had previously been painted over.

Meanwhile, graffiti and murals featuring Serbian national symbols that had stood for years on the walls of several buildings in North Mitrovica were painted over in August last year with the assistance of Kosovo Police officers, on the orders of the North Mitrovica municipality, which was then headed by Albanian mayor Erden Atiq of Self-Determination.

During the period when the murals depicting Serbs were painted over, a mural dedicated to KLA members was painted in Decani.

Kosovo Online's interlocutors on the subject believe that any symbols associated with Serbia in public spaces have long been unwelcome to the authorities in Pristina.