Europe

Serbia condemns arrest of its official in Kosovo, warns of strong response

President Vucic slams arrest of Igor Popovic, assistant director of Serbia’s Office for Kosovo and Metohija, calls it deliberate provocation by Kosovo authorities, and accuses Premier Kurti of seeking to incite regional conflict

Mustafa Talha Öztürk  | 21.07.2025 - Update : 21.07.2025
Serbia condemns arrest of its official in Kosovo, warns of strong response

BELGRADE

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has strongly condemned the arrest of Igor Popovic, assistant director of Serbia’s Office for Kosovo and Metohija, calling it a deliberate provocation by Kosovo authorities and accusing Prime Minister Albin Kurti of seeking to incite regional conflict.

“Albin Kurti has completely lost his mind and wants to provoke incidents and conflicts in the Western Balkans,” Vucic said in a televised interview on Sunday evening. He warned that Serbia will respond “in a very strong and firm way” while continuing efforts to maintain peace and stability.

Vucic said Serbia has informed its international partners about the incident and will continue to update its allies, warning that the situation may have "unforeseeable consequences."

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric also demanded Popovic’s immediate release, describing his detention as “unacceptable” and a threat to regional stability. He accused Kosovo authorities of deliberately targeting Serbian officials and undermining normalization talks.

Popovic was arrested on July 18 at the Brnjak border crossing while leaving Kosovo.

Kosovo’s Basic Court in Pristina later ordered 30 days of detention, citing charges of “inciting hatred and intolerance.”

According to authorities, Popovic had referred to the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) as a “terrorist organization” during a public event in Rahovec earlier this month.

Serbia’s Office for Kosovo and Metohija claimed Popovic was detained merely for “speaking the truth” at a memorial event, where he named individuals responsible for crimes against Serbs and Roma in 1998.

Petar Petkovic, head of Serbia’s Kosovo office, said the arrest demonstrated “the collapse of the so-called legal system in Kosovo” and confirmed that Belgrade has suspended dialogue with Pristina until Popovic is released.

“Popovic spoke the truth and was arrested like a criminal for it,” Petkovic said, adding that Serbia has notified the EU and international officials.

The German Embassy in Kosovo said it is monitoring the case and expected full respect for the rule of law, while the OSCE mission emphasized the need for a fair and transparent legal process but refrained from commenting on the ongoing proceedings.

Popovic, a key negotiator in Serbia’s Kosovo talks, faces charges over statements made during the July event.

Serbian officials argue the charges are politically motivated.

Vucic warned the incident could further destabilize the region amid ongoing global crises, from the conflict in Ukraine to tensions in the Middle East.

“This terror must stop at some point,” he said.

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