Petkovic: Rasic has shown how much of Kurti’s servant he is, he will be held accountable in accordance with the law together with all those who assisted him

The Director of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, stated that the detention of directors of healthcare and educational institutions of the Republic of Serbia from central Kosovo, allegedly on the orders of Albin Kurti, represents an attempt by Pristina to exert impermissible pressure and intimidate Serbian voters in those areas in order, as he said, for Kurti to “push through his favorite, Nenad Rasic, in the upcoming elections.”

“We immediately informed all international representatives and the mediator in the Belgrade–Pristina dialogue, Peter Sørensen, about the unlawful and baseless kidnapping of Serbian healthcare and educational workers, demanding that they urgently engage on this issue,” Petkovic stated in a press release.

He stressed that Kurti is once again provoking crises and tensions on the ground and conducting a political campaign at the expense of the Serbian people because, according to him, he has nothing else to offer his voters.

“His Rasic has now shown how much of a servant of Pristina and Albin Kurti he is, that he has no shame whatsoever, and his disgrace will remain recorded in the annals of dishonor, while for his misdeeds he will be held accountable in accordance with the law together with everyone who assisted him. The Serbian people will respond to him in the June 7 elections with even greater unity and solidarity and with an even stronger Serbian victory, because throughout history the Serbian people have shown that they are strongest when it is needed the most,” Petkovic stated.

Earlier today, the Basic Prosecution Office in Pristina announced that the Kosovo Police in Gracanica had detained five ethnic Serbs on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of “violating the free determination of voters,” following allegations made by caretaker Minister for Communities and Returns Nenad Rasic.

The arrests were condemned by the Serb List, while Serb List Presidency member Igor Simic stressed that the operation was aimed at intimidating Serbs and that Rasic, by targeting honorable Serbian men and women, “enabled and brought Kurti’s police” into Serbian educational and healthcare institutions.

Ivica Dacic, Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and Minister of Internal Affairs, also reacted, stating that all persons whose actions contributed to the detention of the five Serbs — directors of Serbian healthcare and educational institutions from central Kosovo — would be prosecuted and sanctioned in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Serbia.