Radojevic: Serbs in North Mitrovica Feel as if Under Occupation, Intimidated by Kosovo Police

Serbs in North Mitrovica, due to the increased presence of Kosovo Police officers, feel as if they are under occupation and withdraw to their homes out of fear as soon as night falls, said Milan Radojevic from the Serb List to Newsmax Adria. He added that Serbs perceive the primary goal of the heavily armed police units to be demonstrating force. He noted that the Serb List has repeatedly called on KFOR to take control in the north, stating that Serbs trust the NATO mission and that KFOR has an executive mandate under Resolution 1244.

"Citizens themselves say they feel terrible, as if we are under occupation. They don’t let their children out of their homes. It’s a very bad feeling. We have police who neither speak nor understand the Serbian language. We feel their primary goal is to harass people here, to display and demonstrate force. Sometimes I get the impression they’re more interested in taking as many selfies as possible to show they’ve been in the north than in helping citizens," said Radojevic.

He emphasized that the residents are intimidated and frightened, explaining that no one can be seen on the streets after dark.

"There’s absolutely no one outside. Parents use the daylight hours to take their children out for a walk, but as soon as it gets dark, there are no people on the streets because the police instill fear in them," he added.

When asked if all this was necessary, Radojevic said it absolutely was not, and that the Serb List has repeatedly appealed to KFOR and EULEX to take control in the north because Serbs in northern Kosovo trust KFOR.

"We appealed for them to take over control and ensure security in the north because citizens have no trust in the Kosovo Police and do not feel safe. On the contrary, every citizen in northern Kosovo and Metohija can tell you their personal story of trauma, whether from being stopped at administrative crossings or on the Bistrica Bridge. There is not a single citizen who hasn’t been stopped, harassed, or called in for an informational interview," Radojevic emphasized.

He reminded that, regarding the security of northern Kosovo, KFOR has an executive mandate under UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

Commenting on KFOR’s rejection of Pristina’s request to deploy Kosovo Security Force (KSF) units to the north, Radojevic said that in a sea of bad news, this was a positive development, showing precisely why Serbs trust KFOR and why they are asking KFOR to take control of the north and ensure the safety of the citizens.

"I can’t imagine a scenario where the KSF would come to the north. Pristina’s policy is more than clear — all their moves aim to intimidate the Serbian population in Kosovo and Metohija. Currently, the main focus is on the north of Kosovo and Metohija, where there is an effort to completely break the resistance and spirit of the local Serbs living here. Simply put, the fewer Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, the better for Kurti," said Radojevic.

When asked about the release of journalist Dusan Milanovic from Leposavic, owner of the company VIM Info in the Kosovo system, which founded the portal Kosovo Online, after spending 48 hours in detention, Radojevic said Milanovic is an exceptional young man, from an honorable family, a husband, and a father, who, as he stressed, was "unjustly detained."

"It turned out the police had no evidence. They did what they wanted, but in the end, they had to release him. However, the trauma he and his family endured cannot be compensated," he added.

He said he was glad Milanovic was released, as it was proof that justice prevailed, but pointed out that there are still many Serbs in Kosovo prisons waiting for justice.