Rakic: We ask President Vucic to suspend dialogue until Kurti's mayors and special forces withdraw

President of the Serb List Goran Rakic conveyed the demands of the Serbian people in Kosovo, during a press conference in North Mitrovica following yesterday's violent incursion by Kurti's special forces and occupation of the municipalities of Zvecan, Leposavic, and Zubin Potok, as well as the violence in which more than 10 Serbs were injured. They are requesting President Aleksandar Vucic to suspend dialogue until "Kurti's fictional mayors" and the ROSU special forces withdraw from northern Kosovo.

During his address, Rakic expressed the concerns of the Serbian people and provided a detailed account of what he referred to as the terror imposed by Kurti's regime on innocent Serbian citizens, culminating in yesterday's unlawful and violent incursion with tear gas, stun grenades, and long guns into the municipalities in northern Kosovo.

"Taking all of this into consideration, we, as political representatives of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, along with the entire Serbian people, appeal to our President Vucic and the entire state leadership to immediately suspend any further participation of Belgrade in dialogue with Pristina. We believe that any further talks with Pristina under the current circumstances are not only illogical but also counterproductive. In other words, resuming dialogue with Kurti's regime after yesterday's terror would send a message that such actions are entirely useful, as they have consistently allowed him to consolidate the results of his unlawful actions. From this perspective, we particularly urge the state leadership to lift the decision on the temporary ban of participation by state officials in the dialogue only after Pristina withdraws all special police forces (ROSU) from northern Kosovo and withdraws all its organs and forces, leaving the municipal government buildings in northern Kosovo," Rakic conveyed.

Rakic added that the Serbs in northern Kosovo had previously made it clear to everyone what conditions would facilitate their return when they left the institutions.

"Albin Kurti's hostile actions have continued even after we left the institutions. Kurti continuously and daily carries out repression against the Serbian people," Rakic said.

He also thanked the international community for, as he stated, "revealing their true face and hypocrisy" yesterday.

"We went to Belgrade yesterday to send a message of peace. We did not return when the incidents began because we received guarantees from international representatives that KFOR would stand between the people and the special units, but that did not happen. We thank them for showing their hypocrisy. We will no longer go anywhere from here to any gatherings. We will remain with our people," Rakic stated.

The President of the Serb List also mentioned that they would request from KFOR to ensure that the municipal employees can return to their workplaces.

"Today, we will contact the KFOR commander and request that he allows the employees to return to their workplaces and that those who illegally and illegitimately stormed and seized the municipality with special units yesterday vacate the building," Rakic said.