Simic: With raids on Serbian institutions, Kurti continues the plan of ethnic cleansing of Serbs

Igor Simic, member of the presidency of the Serb List, stated regarding the latest raids by Kosovo Police on Serbian institutions in Kosovo that Kurti continues the plan of ethnic cleansing of the north and the entire Kosovo of Serbs. He added that he will call on KFOR to protect the Serbian people and that someone must take responsibility for what is happening in Kosovo.

“The recent raids that have occurred in the last few days confirm the fact that Kurti does not hesitate to break all rules, even international conventions that guarantee the normal work of people who are part of the International Red Cross, i.e., the Red Cross of Kosovo and Metohija. They are full members of this international organization, which is supranational and transnational and provides services and assistance to all communities and citizens. Kurti raids the water supply, the sports hall, and does everything to prevent normal life for Serbs. He does this for several reasons, one of which is ethnic cleansing of Serbs. Another reason is to cover up his failure to form the Assembly and establish a parliamentary majority in order to pressure the Serb List deputies, and third, to slowly prepare for local elections, where persecution, harassment, and oppression of Serbs is the only way he gathers votes from his people. And he will continue to do this because the international community does not stop him,” Simic told RTS.

He added that the Red Cross building into which Kosovo Police raided is of great importance for hundreds of volunteers who have conducted first aid training there, educated youth on peer violence and disease prevention.

“That is a vital facility for the Red Cross Kosovo and Metohija. The Red Cross helps the normal functioning of our Clinical Hospital Center and the entire health system by providing more than 1,500 units of blood annually. In this way, Kurti wanted to send a message that our children cannot have a normal childhood, but even international organizations are not strong enough to oppose what he is doing. The Red Cross has cooperated successfully with KFOR representatives, who know very well what kind of facility it is and its purpose, but Kurti wanted to raid that facility, prevent its normal operation, and expel Serbian youth and Serbs from that facility,” Simic said.

Asked if this means denying Serbs the right to live in Kosovo, Simić responded affirmatively.

“Like the Red Cross building, the regional water supply was built with funds from the Serbian government, and Pristina did not invest a single dinar. This was done so that Serbs could have normal water supply because Albanians often redirected water from the north to Albanian municipalities in the south. Workers from the ‘Ibar’ Water Supply are now in front of the water supply premises as we speak; these are people who want to provide water supply to everyone. This decision is politically motivated. No one from the south can manage that water supply, they lack personnel and trust. We already have a problem because the water supply from South Mitrovica has been reduced by 15 to 20 percent according to experts, and a humanitarian disaster is looming because this water supply provides for our Clinical Hospital Center, student dormitories, hospitals, schools... The fact that he raided the sports hall affects children who will not be able to train. Yesterday, Kurti’s representatives offered more than 20 clubs access to the hall for two hours a day, which is insufficient, and only cleaners are allowed to enter and maintain the facility. And in the hall, several municipal workers were playing basketball and casually using that space,” Simic emphasized.

Regarding the international community’s response to the situation in northern Kosovo, Simic says that Serb List representatives meet daily with the Quint and representatives of the international community.

“We insist on a peaceful resolution of the problem. They constantly repeat that they are against Kurti’s actions, but on the other hand, no one takes any action to prevent further endangerment of Serbs. After each of their statements, instead of such actions stopping, things get worse. We will invite representatives of the Quint to come to northern Kosovo, they can choose the day and from here send a message that they are against Kurti’s actions. If they do not come or refuse to come, that will be a clear message to Serbs. Someone who wields sheer force can do everything, take away even the hall and water supply, but not dignity and honor. This people endure with dignity under impossible conditions. The international community should ask itself why it lied to us in the 1990s when they said normal life would be possible, but it is not so. We will call on KFOR to stand up for the protection of the Serbian people, and they can no longer hide behind their mandate because our citizens rightly ask how it is possible that they silently watch as someone raids Serbian institutions and drives out Serbian children. Someone must take responsibility for what is happening in Kosovo and Metohija. They have a mandate to take care of the security of all citizens, so we hope that includes Serbs,” Simic emphasized.

Asked about the outcome of today’s 19th session attempting to constitute the Kosovo Assembly, Simic stressed that this is already a well-prepared scheme by which Kurti wants to divert attention from northern Kosovo.

“We fear what he might do next. Kurti’s proposal will not get our support. The candidate he proposes was once the Minister of Justice, and during her tenure dozens of Serbs were arrested and did not receive justice. They cannot get our support because they have done everything for Serbs to disappear from these areas,” Simic concluded.