Vujic: Serbia will use all legal mechanisms against the persecution of Serbs in Kosovo

Serbia’s Minister of Justice, Nenad Vujic, stated that Serbia will intensify its efforts to counter the unlawful activities of illegal judicial institutions in Kosovo by using all available international and domestic legal mechanisms. In an interview with Politika, Vujic emphasized that Serbia will particularly focus on presenting evidence of human rights violations against Serbs before United Nations bodies, with special attention to addressing the UN Security Council and reminding it of the obligations stemming from Resolution 1244.

The Minister recalled that despite the reduced role of UNMIK following the establishment of the EULEX mission, UNMIK still holds the mandate to protect the rights of all communities, including Serbs. He stressed that Kosovo remains a territory under UN administration, as Resolution 1244 is still in force.

“Criminal acts such as perjury that go unpunished, as well as the lack of accountability for abuse of official position, constitute systemic violations of human rights because they undermine every individual's right to a fair trial,” said Vujic, emphasizing that public prosecutors in Serbia are investigating all such cases and will initiate proceedings when sufficient evidence is gathered.

The Minister argued that the judicial mechanisms in Kosovo, established unlawfully, cannot provide adequate protection for Serbs and other communities facing persecution. He pointed out that the instrumentalization of the judiciary undermines the fundamental principles of human rights protection.

“Due to the unlawful establishment of institutions and the evident manipulation of the judiciary, as well as violations of international norms, Serbia does not recognize indictments, verdicts, or other acts issued by these bodies. Furthermore, when it comes to international arrest warrants issued by illegal institutions, Serbia consistently highlights their illegitimacy,” Vujic stated.

He warned that certain international institutions and states often claim they have no influence over these bodies, which further emboldens advocates of Kosovo’s independence and perpetuates the persecution of Serbs through “judicial” processes that violate their human rights. Vujic added that the international community's response has so far been “tepid,” but Serbia will persist in advocating for the rights of Serbs, collecting evidence, and pursuing accountability for rights violations.

“Serbia already possesses part of the evidence and is actively gathering more to prove that certain individuals have participated or are participating in the systematic violation of human rights in Kosovo and Metohija. I stress that criminal offenses such as perjury and abuse of office — especially when left unpunished — fall under the definition of systemic human rights violations because they compromise the right to a fair trial. Prosecutors in Serbia are examining these cases, and once sufficient evidence is found, they will launch appropriate proceedings in accordance with our Criminal Code,” the Minister explained.

He also recalled that on April 28, the Ministry of Justice publicly condemned the actions of illegal judicial institutions in Kosovo and Metohija, stating that their goal is to intimidate Serbs and prevent their return. A call was made to the international community and Kosovo institutions to condemn and halt such behavior, which violates the basic human rights of the Serbian population and threatens their freedom of movement.

Vujic stressed that the violations of Serbs’ basic human rights in Kosovo are systemic and continuous, involving both formal institutions and informal mechanisms of pressure. He explained that these violations fall into several categories.

“When we talk about violations of the right to safety and life, this includes unlawful arrests on war crimes charges without evidence or based on false testimony, and the sentencing of Serbs to prison terms on the basis of such false statements. The endangerment of Serbs' safety and lives is justified through intense political and media campaigns, and Serbs are criminalized. Meanwhile, falsifying evidence and giving false testimony against Serbs is portrayed as a ‘patriotic’ act — by police, false witnesses, as well as judges and prosecutors,” he said.

The Minister further stated that the right to life is also threatened by the ongoing and systematic obstruction of healthcare institutions, bans on their operations, and the prevention of medical supplies and equipment from reaching Serbian communities.

“When we talk about violations of property rights, this includes land and property seizures, occupation of homes and property belonging to the Serbian Orthodox Church, and illegal registration in land records. These actions are further ‘legalized’ by allowing occupiers to remain and issuing court decisions without any evidence, based solely on false testimony, through which Serbs or the Church are deprived of property,” Vujic emphasized.

Regarding the group of cultural and civil rights — including language, education, and cultural identity — he explained that these are being violated through the consistent obstruction of language use, disruption of educational institutions, and bans on expressing cultural identity.

“When it comes to the fundamental right to a fair trial, its violation is evident in the consistent absence of impartial proceedings, acceptance of false testimony and fabricated evidence, and the obstruction of the defense. Defense evidence is ignored, interpreters are often not provided for Serbs, and even when interpretation is offered, translations are inaccurate — both in terms of questions asked and answers given by Serbs or their counsel,” he noted.

Vujic added that in addition to all these human rights violations, there is substantial evidence of violations of the prohibition of discrimination, as stipulated in Article 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

“I remind that all individuals employed by the provisional institutions are obliged to respect the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and both UNMIK and EULEX must actively protect individuals from discrimination. This obligation derives from Resolution 1244, which places Kosovo and Metohija under the administration of the UN Security Council. From all of this, it is evident that the persecution of Serbs exists — and that it constitutes a crime against humanity under international law,” Vujic concluded.