Sentic: Basic rights, existence, and dignity denied to the Serbs in Kosovo

Deputy Kosovo Ombudsman Srdjan Sentic stated that basic human rights, including the right to existence and dignity, were denied to the Serbs in Kosovo, without offering any solution or alternative.

He wrote on Facebook that the right to life was a fundamental human right proclaimed and protected by Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

"Institutions are obligated to act when asked to ensure, among other things, the right to life, freedom, and to create all prerequisites for a dignified life and the realization of one's rights to a minimum of material existence and equal conditions for earning a living," Sentic stated.

He emphasized that institutions were obliged not only to refrain from activities that were completely contrary to these principles but must also be active in ensuring, among other things, economic and social rights for their citizens.

"However, all these events, which cannot be seen as inclusive and friendly, and which we are currently witnessing, undoubtedly call into question human dignity (which is the source of all human rights) and existence, to a large extent for an ethnic community that is not offered any other alternative in realizing its rights to material existence," the Deputy Ombudsman stated.

According to him, all ethnic communities affected by recent decisions, especially the Serbian community, are rightfully alarmed, and there is no justification or understanding for such inhumane actions by the authorities.

"Instead of constant fueling of animosities, hate speech, stigmatization, and evident discrimination, along with multiple violations of human rights, it is necessary to turn towards substantive integration, dialogue, and opening space for harmonizing relationships, adopting a responsible approach and rhetoric, respecting the Constitution, laws, and above all, international conventions on human rights. These are the guiding principles of Western democracies and European values," Sentic believes.

He concludes that affirmative measures need to be encouraged to bring the community closer to institutions, which currently jeopardize human rights with their actions and leave no room for building trust in the institutions themselves.

He notes that institutions bear full responsibility when it comes to human rights and fundamental freedoms.