Several Serbian civil society organizations operating in Kosovo have held a consultative meeting this week with representatives of diplomatic missions, warning of potential negative consequences stemming from the planned enforcement of Kosovo’s Law on Foreigners and regulations governing vehicles with Serbian license plates.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the New Social Initiative, NGOs CASA and AKTIV, as well as the Institute for Territorial Economic Development (InTER), the organizations said in a joint statement.
According to them, they informed members of the international diplomatic community about the risks that a rigid and insufficiently prepared implementation of this legal framework could pose to the everyday life of the Serbian community in Kosovo. These risks, they warned, could particularly affect the functioning of essential services of existential importance, including healthcare and education.
During the meeting, the organizations emphasized the need for stronger engagement by the international community and insisted on broad consultations with the Serbian community before any further steps are taken.
“Civil society organizations stressed the need for greater involvement of the international community in ensuring a comprehensive and responsible approach to this issue, as well as their insistence on wide and inclusive consultations with the Serbian community — involving relevant political representatives, civil society and the academic community — as a prerequisite for any further action related to this legal framework,” the statement reads.
The organizations also said they will continue to closely monitor the process and advocate for solutions that protect the interests and rights of the Serbian community in Kosovo. They called on all relevant actors, as stated, to “assume their share of responsibility in this process, bearing in mind its exceptional importance for the survival of the Serbian community in Kosovo.”
Kosovo authorities first announced preparations for the implementation of the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Vehicles in mid-September last year. Both laws already exist within Kosovo’s legal system but directly affect Serbs living, working or studying in Kosovo whose personal documents are registered in cities in central Serbia, as well as those who drive vehicles registered in Serbia or operate them under authorization.
The initial announcements were met with criticism from Serbian civil society organizations in Kosovo, while concerns were also raised by UNMIK and representatives at the United Nations Security Council.
The enforcement of the Law on Vehicles was initially scheduled to begin on November 1, then postponed to January 15, when Kosovo authorities announced an informational campaign for both laws. However, just ahead of that date, implementation was delayed by 24 hours, and on January 16 it was effectively postponed by an additional two months. Authorities in Pristina then announced a new informational campaign, followed by full enforcement of both laws after March 15.
The campaign began immediately, with bilingual informational leaflets being distributed to individuals entering Kosovo, outlining rights, obligations and possible consequences of non-compliance.
Although the decision to postpone enforcement was welcomed as the only “rational” move at that moment, as described by the Serbian side, calls remain for Kosovo authorities and the international community to seek a permanent solution to these issues.
Public debate has frequently highlighted concerns that the application of the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Vehicles could restrict freedom of movement for Serbs in Kosovo, particularly those using vehicles with Serbian license plates or holding documents issued by Serbian institutions while living, working or studying in Kosovo.
There are also warnings that some Serbs could be treated as foreigners in their own communities.
Additional concerns relate to potential legal uncertainty and the risk of selective or uneven enforcement of regulations on the ground.
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