Svecla: Healthcare and education will be specifically treated, activities within the Kosovo law

The Kosovo Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, stated in an interview with Radio Free Europe that the Serbian community in Kosovo has additional rights and privileges in the fields of education and healthcare through municipal authorities and that these areas will be treated specifically compared to other institutions. Svecla clarified that they will not continue to operate under the Serbian system, but rather their activities will be defined within the law of Kosovo.

Svecla pointed out that, according to the Ahtisaari plan, the Serbian community in the fields of education and healthcare, through municipal authorities, "has broader autonomy."

He mentioned that health and education have "some additional rights, some privileges," which they are not interested in changing since they are "legally regulated."

"Therefore, we will be more cautious in these areas, in terms of correctly defining their activities within the law of Kosovo," Svecla said.

He also explained that he had not said that they would continue to function under the Serbian system.

"I am saying that these two areas have a specific situation and will be treated in a specific way, separately from the closure of other institutions that are already in process," Svecla noted.

Noting that the Kosovo Ministry of Health is already having necessary communications with the health system operating in municipalities where Serbs are the majority, Svecla says that he believes that only enhanced coordination between both sides is needed to ensure everything is within the law.

"The same should apply to the education system," Svecla added.