Vilimsky: Arrest of Popovic for stating facts about KLA crimes – a scandal

The arrest and detention of the Assistant Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Igor Popovic, solely for stating historical facts about the crimes of the KLA is a scandal and shows that Pristina is avoiding confronting its own past, said Harald Vilimsky, head of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) delegation in the European Parliament.

“The Popovic case is an alarming example of ongoing political arbitrariness and intimidation of dissenting voices in Pristina. The arrest of a Serbian government official simply for presenting historical facts and openly naming KLA crimes is a scandal. Freedom of expression in Kosovo seems to apply only when it fits the pro-Albanian narrative,” Vilimsky told Kosovo Online.

He emphasized that it is “intolerable” that those who point out the most serious war crimes against non-Albanians, such as the July 1998 massacre, are criminalized, while suspected KLA war criminals remain unpunished.

“The fact that international missions like EULEX and UNMIK have done little over the years to fight this impunity highlights the double standards Popovic rightly criticized,” Vilimsky added.

He also stated that this course of events once again shows that Pristina avoids any serious confrontation with its own past and instead pursues repression against critical voices.

The FPO Member of the European Parliament called for the immediate release of Igor Popovic and an independent investigation into the accusations.

“The European Union can no longer turn a blind eye to violations of fundamental human rights and European principles in Kosovo,” Vilimsky concluded.