Velebit: Situation for Serbs in Kosovo equivalent to a humanitarian catastrophe

Vuk Velebit, Executive Director of the Pupin Initiative, after visiting Kosovo, pointed out that the situation faced by Serbs is worse than what can be inferred from reports in Serbian media, and he attributes it to the extremist policies of Albin Kurti. Speaking about the announcements regarding the opening of the bridge on the Ibar, Velebit emphasized that this is yet another attempt by the Pristina administration to escalate the situation.

"The situation on the ground is worse than portrayed in the media. If we talk about the position in which Serbs currently find themselves, we can speak of a humanitarian crisis. This is not just about the abolition of the dinar or the ban on importing Serbian goods. The recent announcements about the possibility of opening the bridge on the Ibar are another attempt at escalation by the Pristina administration," Velebit said in an interview with TV Nova S.

According to him, what they heard from the international community, including U.S. Ambassador in Pristina Jeffrey Hovenier, is that they oppose this decision and are sharply critical of Kurti's administration for its unilateral actions.

"Serbs in Kosovo are suffering from institutional and police violence. We spoke with relatives of those who are unjustly imprisoned. About 40 Serbs are sitting in Kosovo prisons without any charges, including those who were arrested for a song they sang or a t-shirt they wore," Velebit pointed out.

He added that a significant risk that may arise in September concerns what will happen to the healthcare and educational institutions in northern Kosovo.

"There are indications that the Kosovo police might raid schools or hospitals, which could lead to regional destabilization," Velebit warned.

He noted that Western partners have recently become very critical of Albin Kurti, especially the Americans, and that Serbs in Kosovo see American partners as people who will listen to them.

However, he stressed that it is no longer enough just to hear statements from the Quint or the U.S. Embassy and the State Department expressing concern or condemnation.

"We need to see more action on the ground because we have a person who is an extremist and who does not stop. The question is what will happen in the coming months, and I fear that Pristina may cause further unrest and destabilization not only in the north but in the entire region," Velebit warned.

Speaking about his visit to the Visoki Decani Monastery and his conversation with Abbot Sava Janjić, he conveyed that the Abbot reiterated that they are facing institutional violence and selective application of the law.

Recalling that land was recently returned to the monastery, Velebit emphasized that this happened only because Kurti thought Kosovo would enter the Council of Europe a few months ago.

Velebit pointed out that there are cases where Serbian churches, which have existed for hundreds of years, are being converted into Catholic ones.

"This is a total revision of history aimed at completely erasing Serbian cultural heritage. The Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo is an enemy of Albin Kurti; he wants to erase Serbian cultural heritage," Velebit said, noting that Visoki Decani is still guarded 24 hours a day by KFOR.

He stated that today it is no longer just a matter of violating the human and religious rights of Serbs in Kosovo but whether those people will be able to stay there or if everyone will leave Kosovo.

"Serbs in Kosovo rely on themselves, and there is something that keeps them there, why they want to stay there, and both they and the international community agree that the main culprit for the situation is the extremist policy of Albin Kurti," he said.

When asked if there are criticisms among Serbs in Kosovo regarding the lack of support and assistance from Belgrade, Velebit said that there are indeed criticisms of Belgrade, and some are dissatisfied with the policies of both sides.

However, as he says, the fact is that Serbs are enduring terror from the Kosovo police, their land is being seized to build police bases, and there are checkpoints of the Kosovo special police armed with automatic rifles, who stop and search them.

In this context, he recounted that the Pupin Initiative delegation went to Gorazdevac, where, in conversation with the local Serbs, they learned that if Serbs come to report something, the police officers come out and start beating them.

"We went to the police station to see what was happening. They told us to come back in 10 minutes. When we returned after 10 minutes, everyone had fled the station, and only one policewoman remained, who refused to speak Serbian, although she is obliged to do so by Kosovo law," Velebit recounted.

When asked if he can imagine a scenario in which dialogue would resume, Velebit said it is difficult for him to see how dialogue will be achieved, but he can see that escalation is likely.

As he says, the Pupin Initiative will share all this in the U.S. Congress in September.

"What is crucial for us is that without a stable alliance between Serbia and the United States, there will be no stability and peace in the Western Balkans. Therefore, America should see an ally in Serbia, but Serbia must also work more on positioning itself as the main partner of the U.S. in this region," Velebit concluded.