Kosovo Internal Affairs Minister Xhelal Svecla said that 578 Kosovo Serbs, members of the Kosovo Police, have handed in their resignations which, in his opinion, “is a result of fear and pressure by certain criminal groups.”

Svecla told a joint press conference with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti that these resignations are a result of blackmail and of the fact that the lives of police officers are threatened if they refuse to resign.

The Police Minister said it was obvious that some of the “orchestrated events” are not organized by the local Serbs “but by certain groups organized in cooperation with (Serbian President Aleksandar) Vucic.”

“Actions of the Serb List followed after talks with Vucic,” said Svecla, adding that the aim of such activities is to “destabilize the situation in the country.”