Radojkovic: Institutional pressure north of the Ibar wrapped in the guise of administrative rules

Historian Stefan Radojkovic told Kosovo Online that the actions of the Pristina administration aimed at obstructing the implementation of decisions adopted by the Municipality of North Mitrovica follow a clear pattern and are intended to fundamentally transform the environment in which Serbs north of the Ibar River live, making it increasingly inaccessible, unfamiliar and alien to them, and ultimately hostile to their identity and continued presence in the area.

Commenting on police interventions during the implementation of decisions adopted by the local authorities in North Mitrovica, Radojkovic said that such actions are presented as the enforcement of procedures and regulations imposed by the Pristina administration, while in reality they constitute a form of institutional and structural pressure designed to alter the atmosphere in that part of the town and effectively "kill two birds with one stone."

"It creates an environment that clearly emphasizes that it is under the control of the Pristina administration, and that is the 'useful' part. The 'pleasant' part, from the perspective of Albin Kurti's government, is that through certain ministries it exerts pressure on the Serbs living north of the Ibar River simply because it is in a permanent election campaign. The previous elections did not unfold as planned, but this has proved to be a well-tested practice throughout the tenure of Albin Kurti's second, and now third, government," our interlocutor said.

In his view, such actions are unlikely to stop in the foreseeable future.

"To us, it may seem like nitpicking or the unnecessary deployment of police over seemingly trivial municipal issues, but the reality is that Pristina was frustrated for a very long time by its inability to project its authority and exercise control north of the Ibar River. This also demonstrates just how flawed the Brussels Agreement was, as well as the subsequent withdrawal from local institutions, including the police, the judiciary, and especially the municipal structures operating within the Pristina administration," Radojkovic assessed.

He also believes that this, as he describes it, "harassment" will continue.

"These will be seemingly minor issues, such as preventing the painting of murals even when the necessary permits have been obtained. The point is to flex political muscle and send a clear message: the Brussels process may be dead, but our authority over the municipalities north of the Ibar River is unquestionable in every respect," the historian said.

According to him, the message conveyed through such actions is that there is no place for Serbian institutions within the framework of the Pristina administration, while an indirect message is also being sent to the institutions of the Republic of Serbia operating in Kosovo—that there is no place for them there either.

"Those are the two main messages. Ultimately, however, it will be ordinary residents—Serbs and others who rely on the services of either the Pristina administration or the institutions of the Republic of Serbia—who will suffer, both directly and indirectly. Many will probably decide to leave the area, which has always been, more or less, the ultimate objective of Albin Kurti's government and, generally speaking, of successive administrations in Pristina," Radojkovic pointed out.

What he sees as a new development is that all of this is now being presented under the banner of the rule of law, procedures and administrative regulations.

"And that is something that does not immediately raise red flags or trigger alarm within the international community, which—particularly its Western part—is already overwhelmed by numerous issues considered far more important than whether a municipal procedure in North Mitrovica has or has not been followed," Radojkovic concluded.