Serb List: Kurti's obsession with the north continues, using institutions to intimidate Serbs

The Serb List stated that the detention of five Serbs and the arrest of two in Zubin Potok is unfounded and represents a continuation of the "horrific pressure on the Serbian people by Albin Kurti's regime in the Ibar Kolasin region."

"Following the unlawful demolition of Serbian houses at Lake Gazivode, without observing any legal procedure, yesterday five honorable Serbs were arrested with the deployment of a large police force. Two of them remain in custody on allegations of war crimes and were immediately provided with legal assistance so they can defend themselves against these baseless accusations because, unfortunately, only here are those who are arrested expected to prove their innocence instead of the prosecutor proving their guilt," the statement said.

The Serb List said that "Kurti's obsession with the north continues."

"Kurti's obsession with the north continues, and entire institutions of the Kosovo system are being used to intimidate Serbs, all with the aim of driving our people from these areas," the statement noted.

It added that war crimes allegations are becoming a tool for intimidating the Serbian people rather than a means of delivering justice.
"There is no justice, nor will there be, if innocent people are kept in detention while entire families are driven out of Kosovo and Metohija," the statement said.

The Serb List called on international representatives to take a more active role in proceedings against Serbs, arguing that the recent number of war crimes arrests is unprecedented.

"We call on international representatives to become more actively involved in proceedings against Serbs, especially given that during the 11 years of work by UNMIK and EULEX prosecutors and judges, immediately after the conflict, there were nowhere near this many arrests of Serbs for war crimes, and notably, none of those arrested had sold their property. Is it really possible that UNMIK and EULEX prosecutors were less capable and professional than Kosovo prosecutors, or that memories are clearer 27 years after the conflict than they were immediately afterward?" the statement concluded.

Two Serbs, M.J. and M.B., were arrested on suspicion of committing war crimes against the Albanian civilian population during the 1999 conflict and have been ordered held in custody for up to 48 hours.

Attorney Milos Delevic said that the prosecution has already submitted a request for a hearing to determine pre-trial detention.

Earlier, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija stated that the detention of five Serbs from Zubin Potok for questioning in Pristina was another act of repression against the Serbian population in that municipality.