Just weeks before Vidovdan, a key religious and cultural holiday for Serbs, the Basic Court in Pristina annulled a decision by the Gracanica Municipality that permitted the display of Serbian national symbols, including the official Serbian national flag as part of the holiday’s observance.
The ruling followed an appeal by Kosovo’s Ministry of Local Government Administration, and comes just days before June 28, the date when Serbs traditionally commemorate the Battle of Kosovo and celebrate Vidovdan.
The court argued that the Gracanica decision violated the “unified and constitutional character of Kosovo,” adding that municipalities do not have the authority to declare public holidays beyond those defined by the Law on Official Holidays. It also warned the move could trigger inter-ethnic tensions, particularly if perceived as favoritism toward one community.
„This ruling should serve as a model for all municipalities,“ the court stated.
SNF: A Ban on Symbols Is a Ban on Existence
The Serbian National Forum (SNF) from Gracanica strongly condemned the ruling, calling it an act of discrimination, political pressure, and erasure of Serbian presence in Kosovo.
“In a country that presents itself as democratic and multiethnic, banning the symbols of one people—especially in the context of a religious and cultural holiday—is nothing short of a violation of basic rights.”
SNF emphasized the significance of Vidovdan as a “pillar of collective memory and identity” for the Serbian people:
“To ban the Serbian flag on Vidovdan is to ban the Serbs from breathing, remembering, celebrating, and living as a people.”
They described the ruling as politically timed, aimed at fueling tensions ahead of upcoming local elections, and accused the Pristina government of applying double standards:
“While Serbian symbols are banned as a threat to the constitutional order, Albanian flags are displayed freely in institutions—even without the presence of Albanian officials.”
The SNF called on Serbian institutions, KFOR, EULEX, and UNMIK to respond to what they labeled a serious violation of the collective rights of Serbs.
Srpska Lista and Petković: Double Standards and Institutional Repression
The decision also drew sharp reactions from the Srpska Lista and Petar Petković, head of Serbia’s Office for Kosovo and Metohija.
Petković described the court ruling as:
“Another example of institutional repression against Serbs in Kosovo and the fascist face of Albin Kurti’s regime.”
He accused the Pristina authorities of allowing displays of UÇK and Greater Albania symbols, while banning the peaceful celebration of a Serbian religious holiday.
“Every year before Vidovdan, Kurti’s regime increases pressure on Serbs—through politically motivated arrests, harassment of pilgrims, and now bans on national symbols,” he said.
Petković pledged to inform international actors about the ruling and request their intervention.
“Nowhere else in the world are national symbols banned for religious holidays—except in Kurti’s Kosovo.”
Srpska Lista: What About the Albanian Flag in Parliament?
In its statement, Srpska Lista questioned whether the Basic Court in Pristina would apply the same legal standards to Albanian flags displayed in Kosovo’s public institutions:
“We demand the court take the same action regarding the Albanian flag displayed in the Kosovo Assembly, even when no Albanian official is present.”
They called the ruling unilateral and unacceptable, and reiterated that their MPs have repeatedly proposed that Vidovdan be officially recognized as a holiday for the Serbian community—initiatives that were consistently rejected.
“This decision is another sign of the regime’s attitude toward Serbs and a political maneuver to gain cheap election points,” they concluded, announcing that Gračanica would appeal the ruling.
Calls to Celebrate Regardless: “See You at Gazimestan”
Despite the ruling, Serbian community leaders expressed determination to continue traditional observances. Aleksandar Arsenijević, head of the Serbian Democracy party in North Mitrovica, issued a defiant message:
“See you at Gazimestan on Vidovdan—with my national symbols.”
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