MFA of Serbia on World Refugee and Displaced Persons Day: Expulsions and discrimination against Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija continue to this day

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia stated, on the occasion of World Refugee and Displaced Persons Day, that "the expulsions and discrimination against Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija continue to this day."

"World Refugee Day is a moment to solemnly remember all those who, through no fault of their own, lost their homes, families, and property, and who continue to seek safety, dignity, and a new beginning," the Ministry said in a post on the social network “X.”

They emphasize that during the wars of the 1990s, the Republic of Serbia received over 600,000 refugees from the territory of the former Yugoslavia.

"Thanks to consistent state support and comprehensive measures, more than 400,000 individuals have acquired Serbian citizenship, marking the largest refugee integration process in contemporary Europe. However, 24,862 persons still hold refugee status, reflecting the long-term nature of this humanitarian challenge. This day is also a vital reminder of the fate of over 200,000 internally displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija, primarily Serbs but also members of other ethnic communities, who were forced to flee their homes during and after the 1999 armed conflict and the 2004 pogroms. Expulsions, insecurity, and discrimination against Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija continue to this day. The return rate remains extremely low – less than 2%, the lowest in any post-conflict region in the world," the statement concluded.