Healthcare workers protested over Kosovo Police raid on KBC Kosovska Mitrovica and Health Center

Healthcare workers employed at the Clinical Hospital Center (KBC) Kosovska Mitrovica and health centers in the four northern municipalities organized a protest in response to last night’s raid by Kosovo Police officers on the security offices of KBC Kosovska Mitrovica and the Kosovska Mitrovica Health Center.

The workers carried banners reading: “We want to receive medical care freely,” “Our doctors, our patients, our KBC,” “Hands off the hospital,” “America, react, Serbs are disappearing,” and “Europe, protect our rights.”

Immediately following the raid, the Serb List contacted the embassies of all Quint countries, the EU Mission, UNMIK, OSCE, and KFOR.

They requested that KFOR and EULEX personnel be deployed immediately in the vicinity of healthcare and educational institutions to prevent raids like this, which endanger the operation of institutions and the treatment of citizens.

Zlatan Elek, Director of KBC Kosovska Mitrovica, emphasized that nowhere is there mention of integrating Serbia’s healthcare and educational systems into the Kosovo system.

“Last night, Kurti’s police forces raided the security offices at KBC and the Health Center. Honest workers earn their salaries by providing assistance to everyone who needs it. They harassed the security personnel, demanding IDs and information about the number of employees at KBC. We particularly call on international representatives to stop these raids; if they do not, it will be clear to everyone whose side they are on. There is no integration of Serbia’s healthcare and educational system into the Kosovo system. This is not in the Ahtisaari Plan, nor the Brussels or Ohrid Agreements,” Elek said.

He urged the staff to remain calm.

“If they raid our institutions, I ask you to stay calm and patient, and that together we remain here with our patients. We have nowhere to go, this is our home, and our duty is to be with our patients. This is a message to international institutions that these are red lines they guaranteed would not be crossed. It is finally time, gentlemen, to move from words to actions. Everyone’s rights are clear, and we are saying from here that we have our rights and will not integrate into the Kosovo system. Go out and vote on October 12th and show with your pen that we will return our municipalities to our hands. Long live our healthcare system, long live our institutions, and long live the state of Serbia,” Elek added.

Dragisa Milovic, Deputy Director of KBC Kosovska Mitrovica, stressed that the institution provides care to everyone.

“This is the only multi-ethnic hospital in Kosovo and Metohija where people of all nationalities are treated regardless of religion or ethnicity. Unfortunately, some do not like that. Even members of international institutions have been treated here and trusted the expertise of our doctors. Last night, in the late hours, along with 150 armed special forces, a man arrived who called us a fascist mob. He dislikes the monopoly of one party and likes that Albanians all join a single party to take power in Gracanica. What kind of multi-ethnicity is this, where there are no Serbs in any city? This is the only multi-ethnic city. What kind of multi-ethnicity is it when among a hundred notaries, there is not a single Serb? Every day, Serbs are arrested and charged with war crimes. The so-called parallel institutions are closed, and the recent raid on the RFZO and PIO offices is the best proof,” Milovic said.

He added that the institution will continue to provide healthcare services and called for unity among staff.

“Our citizens come to us for advice on how to receive care and who to turn to now because all institutions are closed. Albin Kurti’s intention is for Serbs to leave these spaces voluntarily, but you, dear colleagues, are the pillar of survival in these areas. We will continue to provide assistance and services offered by our healthcare system to everyone, but I ask you, brothers and sisters, for unity. Kurti praises Rasic, claiming Serbs live better since he became minister, but we can all see that Serbs have never lived harder,” Milović emphasized.

The healthcare workers’ gathering ended without incidents, and afterward, the workers returned to their workplaces.