Serbia lashes out Kosovo for list of Serbs to be arrested
Pristina officials denied the existence of list, yet publishes it as an attempt to create chaos, says Prime Minister Ana Brnabic
People, as they hold flags and banners, gather near a village for a demonstration to protest the Government of Kosovo and support Kosovo Serbs who have barricaded the border crossings in the north of the country, in Mitrovica, Kosovo, on December 22, 2022.
BELGRADE, Serbia
Serbia’s slammed Kosovo on Friday for a list of Serbs who should be arrested that was prepared by Albanian lawmaker Armend Muja.
Muja, a deputy with the Self-determination Movement, led by Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti, suggested the arrest of the Serbs, including Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's son Danilo Vucic and his brother Andrej Vucic. The list was shared on social media.
Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said officials in Pristina earlier denied the existence of the list but an official has published it.
''This is the list of Serbs to be arrested, the existence of which Pristina officially denied a few days ago. This, again, shows exactly how credible they are. This is also another brutal message from Pristina that Serbs cannot feel safe in Kurti's Kosovo,'' she said.
Brnabic said the list is a new provocation, accusing Kurti of continuously causing a conflict.
"It is a new provocation, a new destabilization of the region, a new attempt to create chaos, which Kurti is continuously doing with the aim of provoking conflict,” said Brnabic. “After this, no one in the international community has the right to turn a blind eye to the fact that even Pristina no longer hides, which is that they have a list of undesirable Serbs.”
Brnabic urged the international community to stand with Serbs in Kosovo.
''I again appeal to all relevant actors in the international community not to turn a blind eye to the terror being perpetrated against the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. Open threats, public intimidation and political persecution is the reality that all citizens in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija who are not of Albanian nationality live,'' said Brnabic.
Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic told reporters that the list is shameful.
"It is clear to everyone that President Vucic and Serbia are a constructive part of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. Everyone knows that Kurti is a problem, but what are they doing to solve it? They remain silent and support Kurti's expulsion of the Serbs from the north of Kosovo,'' said Dacic.
Meanwhile, Muja said he recommended the arrest list to rid Mitrovica of crimes, gangs and barricades.
"Representatives of criminal organizations", including representatives of the Serbian List Party, who rebelled against the Kosovo government and citizens, should be arrested,'' said Muja.
The Serb List -- a minority political party in Kosovo described Muja's list as another list of persecution of Kosovo Serbs.
Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo
Kosovo, predominantly inhabited by Albanians, broke away from Serbia in 1999 and declared independence in 2008. But Serbia has not recognized the move and sees its former province as part of its territory.
Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia have escalated after the detention of former Serbian police officer Dejan Pantic.
Reacting to Pantic's detention, Kosovo Serbs have been standing guard at the barricades they set up at the Jarinje and Bernjak border crossings since Dec. 10.
The EU, NATO and the US has urged a de-escalation and the removal of barricades in northern Kosovo while Serbia has requested to deploy its army and police based on a UN resolution.
