Petkovic with Ziadeh: All responsibility lies with Pristina; strengthen the presence of KFOR and EULEX in the north

Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, held talks with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the UNMIK Mission, Caroline Ziadeh, regarding the political-security situation in Kosovo. He emphasized the need to increase the presence of KFOR and EULEX personnel in the north, and for the Kosovo Police to withdraw.

As stated by the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petkovic reminded that Belgrade had repeatedly warned the international community for over a year about the daily violence and terror inflicted by Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti on the Serbian population in northern Kosovo, warning that it could lead to a tragedy and unforeseeable consequences, which indeed had happened on the night of September 23rd to 24th.

"Although Pristina persistently attempts to blame Belgrade for recent events in Banjska using fabricated data and a campaign of lies, Petkovic reminded that Belgrade had consistently advocated for peace and stability in the province and that the Serbian side did not need these incidents. He reiterated that all responsibility for the recent events lay with Pristina," the statement said.

Petkovic emphasized the need to ensure a greater presence of KFOR and EULEX personnel in northern Kosovo, which would lead to increased security for the Serbs.
He also emphasized the necessity of the withdrawal of the Kosovo Police from northern Kosovo.

"According to the Brussels Agreement, they have no business in the north, and the citizens perceive them solely as an occupying force, as is demonstrated daily through the violence and terror they employ," Petkovic stated during his conversation with Ziadeh.

He also pointed out that the recent events had unequivocally demonstrated the urgent need to establish the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities, which would secure the collective and individual rights of the Serbs, as envisioned by the Brussels Agreement, something that the Pristina authorities had been refusing to implement for over ten years.

At the end of the meeting, Petkovic conveyed Belgrade's expectations that the mission led by Ziadeh would take a balanced and objective approach in assessing the recent tragic events and presenting them in its forthcoming report.

The meeting was also attended by the UN Office in Belgrade's representative, Mari Yamashita.