Vilimsky and Krauss condemn the arrests of Serbs at Gazimestan: Such scenes have no place in the 21st century

Harald Vilimsky, head of the delegation of the Austrian Freedom Party (FPO) in the European Parliament, and Maximilian Krauss, head of the FPO parliamentary group in the Vienna City Council, strongly criticized the Kosovo Police operation at Gazimestan during the Vidovdan commemoration and called on the international community to take an unequivocal stand.

"The incident took place on Vidovdan, one of the most important religious and national holidays of the Serbian people. It is therefore incomprehensible that people who wished to peacefully observe this day were stopped and arrested after the religious service. It is particularly shocking that those affected included fathers with their children, as well as women. Such scenes have no place in 21st-century Europe," Vilimsky and Krauss stressed in a joint statement.

They called on the European Union, international organizations, and all institutions responsible for protecting human rights to fully investigate the incident and take a clear and unequivocal position.

"Freedom of religion, expression, assembly, and movement are fundamental human rights and must be applied equally to all people. The Christian Serbian minority in Kosovo, in particular, has the unrestricted right to freely practice its faith, observe its religious holidays, move freely, and visit its centuries-old holy sites without intimidation or harassment by the authorities. These rights must neither be restricted nor politically exploited," the Austrian politicians added.

Vilimsky and Krauss stressed that those peacefully observing a religious holiday must not be criminalized.

"We call on the international community to raise its voice and act decisively whenever fundamental freedoms and minority rights are violated. We expect the European Union, in particular, to apply the same standards of democracy, the rule of law, and the protection of national and religious minorities to those responsible in Pristina," the statement said.

They also called on the competent authorities to work toward de-escalation, dialogue, and the consistent protection of the rights of all ethnic and religious groups in Kosovo.

"Only mutual respect, the protection of religious sites, and full respect for human rights can contribute to lasting stability and peaceful coexistence in the region," Vilimsky and Krauss concluded.