A group of Serbian parliamentary opposition parties said in a letter to the European Union’s top diplomat that the security situation deteriorated seriously following the Banjska armed incident and expressed concern over the possibility of measures being introduced against Serbia.
“The events in the village of Banjska in the north of Kosovo have deeply disturbed the citizens of Serbia, having potentially even wider consequences. The security situation has seriously deteriorated. There is no doubt that profound constructive engagement by the international community in Kosovo is needed, including the European Union mediation, whose efforts we welcome, but which have proven to be insufficient so far,” the letter to High Representative Josep Borrell said.
It said that the authorities in Belgrade bear a significant part of the political and other responsibility for the events in Banjska and pointed out “a large number of violent and unjustified actions against the Serbian population in the north of Kosovo that have been undertaken by the government of Albin Kurti” including brutal police actions, unfounded arrests, ban on goods from Serbia, inadequate response to violence against Serbs and the forceful imposing of mayors after low-turnout elections.
“This dangerous trend must be stopped. Setting aside Mr. Kurti’s motives, a blind eye shouldn’t be turned to the more frequent provocations towards Serbs living in Kosovo and Metohija, undermining any attempt to contribute to the Dialogue and peaceful coexistence of the communities,” it added.
According to the opposition parties, the Kosovo Serbs are caught between “a criminalised and authoritarian Serb list and Kurti’s systematic oppression”. They blamed Vucic for encouraging Serbs to quit Kosovo institutions and abolishign political pluralism among the Kosovo Serbs which, it said, enabled violence, caused political victims and encouraged a general state of insecurity and hopelessness, leading to a new wave of emigration.
“We are deeply concerned about the announcements on the possibility of introducing measures against Serbia. We would like to point out that we, as the democratic opposition in Serbia, deeply oppose that. Any hostile action affecting Serbia and its population would only further endanger our country and the region, strengthen existing Euroscepticism and dangerous nationalistic narrative, and bring Serbia back to its ’90s image.
“On the other hand, the political and personal responsibility of Aleksandar Vucic for the current situation is obvious. Therefore, any possible measure should be imposed on him and his closest political allies. We have been pointing out for a long time that Mr. Vucic should not generate international support as an exclusive interlocutor because of, among other things, the suppression of democracy, human rights, election conditions, and media abuse in Serbia. Mr. Vucic is part of the problem, not the solution to the current degradation of the overall situation – both in Serbia and beyond. A democratic government in Serbia is a prerequisite for seeking long-term solutions for complex problems, both in Kosovo and for broader stability and peace in the Western Balkans region,” the letter said.
It was signed by the leaders of the Democratic Party, Narodni pokret Srbije, Movement of Free Citizens, Serbia Center – Srce, Party of Freedom and Justice, Zajedno and the Green Left Front/Don’t Let Belgrade D(r)own.
