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Serb representatives suspended work in Kosovo institutions following the suspension by the KJC of Mitrovica Basic Court President Liliana Stevanovic. QUINT calls for content.
Belgrade and Pristina exchanged harsh rhetoric and statements with tense tones that were not to the liking of the QUINT states and the European Union, which mediates the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. All this after the intention of Serbia to organize parliamentary and presidential elections in Kosovo, which are held in Serbia on 03.04 and after the decision of the Government of Kosovo not to allow them to be held in Kosovo.
Several hundred Serbs in northern Kosovo and several other Serb-populated municipalities staged protests Friday against a Kosovo government decision and a Kosovo Judicial Council decision suspending Mitrovica Basic Court President Liljana Stefanovic after she took over. participated in a political meeting in Belgrade with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vuҫi.. The meeting in Belgrade was also attended by Serb officers of the Kosovo Police from its north, against whom the Kosovo Police Inspectorate is conducting investigations.
EU and QUINT calls for content
QUINT States–It and the European Union in a joint statement called on Kosovo and Serbia to refrain from any rhetoric or action that could increase tensions. Before the Serb protests, which were peaceful, QUINT expressed “concern about the risk of escalation of the situation in Kosovo with the launch of announced protests in some Serb-majority cities.”
“Citizens have the right to peaceful assembly as well as the responsibility to ensure that such gatherings are peaceful and do not turn violent. Among our common democratic rights are the right to assembly peacefully and for our voice to be heard, rights that law enforcement agencies have a responsibility to protect. “Law enforcement agencies have an obligation to maintain public order and should do so without violating the democratic principles of freedom of expression and assembly,” reads the statement issued by QUINT.
Serb representatives suspend work in institutions
The Serb List, which has 10 members in the Kosovo Assembly and is a participant in the Kosovo government, as well as Serbian staff in the Kosovo Judiciary suspended work in Kosovo institutions until Liliana Stevanovic, President of the Basic Court, returned to her post. of Mitrovica, suspended by the Kosovo Judicial Council. The news about the suspension of work in Kosovo institutions was announced to the media by the chairman of the Serbian List, Goran Rakic, after the protests of Serbs in the north of Mitrovica and Gracanica. “We, the Serb representatives, will also suspend ourselves in the institutions, until the judge returns to work,” said Rakic.
The day before, Serbian President Aleksandar Vuҫi, also stated that the Brussels Agreement between Kosovo and Serbia no longer exists, precisely because of the suspension of the President of the Basic Court of Mitrovica, Liljana Stevanovi. By the Kosovo Judicial Council. According to the President of Serbia, the suspension of the Serbian Judge “was decided at the request of the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti”, who according to Vuҫi “is expected to dismiss” all Serbian commanders and police officers “, who attended a meeting of the Council of Serbia’s National Security Service held in Belgrade on March 22nd.
“Albin Kurti has violated the Brussels Agreement and according to his will and those who defend it, the Brussels Agreement no longer exists,” said the Serbian president in a video message posted on social networks. He further said that “it is Kurti who with these decisions wants to attack the Serbian people wherever he lives”, said Vuҫi duke, adding that “Serbia wants to keep the peace and that it will address the international community, but will stand by the Serbs. Kosovo ”.
The Minister of Justice in the Government of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, wrote on social networks that “The President and judges of the Basic Court in Mitrovica have the obligation to act only in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo and applicable law and not to mock institutions . “Any action like the one in the meeting with Vuiqi është is a violation and violates the integrity of the judicial system.”
The Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC), meanwhile, announced that the decision to suspend the President of the Basic Court of Mitrovica from her position the day before, was taken without any political influence. According to the announcement, “this decision was taken within the constitutional and legal responsibilities of the KJC and does not prejudice the completion of the procedure in relation to the suspended judge, Liljana Stevanovic.”
Short message in Serbian
After the protests of the northern Serbs, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, called on Friday evening through a video message in Serbian language to the Serb citizens of Kosovo to keep calm and as he said to “believe more in the government of Kosovo.” Kurti warned Kosovo Serb citizens not to be influenced by authorities in Serbia.
“They are not interested in the rights and benefits of Serbs in Kosovo. They are trying to destabilize Kosovo for their own electoral purposes, and perhaps even for the belligerent interests of some great power. Therefore, dear citizens, I invite you to keep calm and trust more in the Government of Kosovo “, said Prime Minister Kurti in a video message.
The Government of Kosovo two days ago said that it has not reached an agreement with Serbia on the conduct of Serbian elections in Kosovo, because Belgrade refused to address the Serbian government with a request to the Government of Kosovo. QUINT expressed regret for Kosovo’s decision while calling on the parties to refrain from inciting rhetoric and work within the framework of EU-mediated talks for a normalization agreement between the two countries./DW
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