Serbs again protest against the closure of parallel institutions

2024-09-03 10:40:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

For the second day in a row, the employees of Serbian parallel institutions, which were recently closed by the Kosovo authorities, have protested in front of the buildings where these institutions were located.

The protesters, including employees of the parallel municipality of Mitrovica, said that their gathering is peaceful and reiterated that the administration of this municipality, which Kosovo considers illegal, has provided services to all citizens.

On August 30, in an action in the north of Kosovo, inhabited by a majority of Serbs, the Kosovo Police closed five parallel Serbian institutions. The Government of Kosovo said that the closed institutions have operated under the leadership of Serbia, "violating the constitutionality and laws of the Republic of Kosovo".

The institutions closed on August 30 were: the District of Mitrovica of Kosovo, the parallel Municipality of Mitrovica, the parallel Municipality of Zveçan, the parallel Municipality of Zubin Potok and the parallel Municipality of Leposaviq.

Sasha Petrovi?, head of the administration in the parallel municipality of Mitrovica, said that this municipality has been working without interruption since 1945, offering services to citizens regardless of nationality or religion. He claimed that the Kosovo authorities have stopped their work without any decision, notification or explanation.

Petrovic called on the international community, especially the European Union, to help them get back to work.

Vu?ina Jankovi?, head of the Mitrovica District of Kosovo, the closed institution that has operated under the Serbian system, said that "these are not parallel institutions, but institutions that provide services to all citizens".

He said that they are protesting in a peaceful, democratic way, as he called on the Kosovo authorities to "come to their senses and allow us to go back to work". He also asked the international community, "which speaks for the rule of law and the protection of minorities, to take concrete steps in accordance with their mandate and mission".

Two vehicles of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) were seen near the place where the Serbs protested on September 3.

Two vehicles of the European Union Mission for the Rule of Law in Kosovo are located near the meeting place of the Serbs on Tuesday morning.

In some of the facilities that were previously used by the institutions that function according to the Serbian system, plaques have been placed in recent days indicating that they will now be used as offices for some of Kosovo's ministries and their departments.

The United States, the European Union, France, Germany and the United Kingdom have criticized the actions of the Government of Kosovo in the north, describing them as unilateral and uncoordinated.

In Kosovo, there are municipalities, public companies and enterprises, kindergartens, primary and secondary schools and public universities that are directly financed by the Government of Serbia, and which are located in the cities and towns where the Serbian community lives.

According to the laws in Kosovo, these institutions are illegal.

In 2013, in the dialogue for the normalization of relations in Brussels, Kosovo and Serbia reached an agreement on the abolition of parallel institutions, but this agreement has not yet been fully implemented./REL