A sign reading „Posta e Kosovës“ was placed on the Serbian Post Office in Socanica, which had been closed earlier this summer along with several other branches in the region. The Serbian Post Office quickly responded, condemning the action as a provocative and illegal seizure by the authorities in Pristina.
According to Serbia’s postal service, the building is their property, but it has now been taken over unlawfully.
„The illegal takeover of Serbian Post’s premises in Socanica, the establishment of a fake postal office, and the display of the illegitimate ‘Posta e Kosovës’ is the latest severe provocation by the authorities in Pristina,“ the statement read. It described the actions as part of a broader strategy of political pressure and a direct assault on Serbian rights and property in Kosovo.
Serbia’s postal officials also condemned the name change as illegal, claiming it violates international standards and signed agreements.
“Changing the name of a Serbian Post property to ‘Posta e Kosovës,’ along with illegal operations and the alienation of our premises, is unacceptable and contradicts all existing international standards and agreements,” the statement continued.
The Serbian Post Office labeled the move as a deliberate attack designed to complicate its operations in the region, further endangering the lives of the Serbian people living in Kosovo.
Despite the setback, the Serbian Post pledged to continue its fight for the rights of ethnic Serbs on the territory, ensuring the preservation of their property and the continued provision of postal services for all citizens.
Serbian Post Offices in the North Closed
This latest development follows a coordinated police operation in early August, during which several Serbian Post offices in northern Kosovo were shut down. Three properties in North Mitrovica, two in Zvecan, one in Zubin Potok, and three in Leposavic were sealed off.
In mid-November, it was confirmed that eviction orders had been issued for nine Serbian Post facilities in northern Kosovo.
As part of the ongoing dispute, in early November, Serbian Post officials began removing inventory from the main branch in North Mitrovica, which had been leased. However, they emphasized that the remaining eight properties, which are owned by Serbia, would not be subject to inventory removal.
This situation changed just ten days later when officials from the Kosovo Privatization Agency, assisted by the Kosovo police, removed inventory from the closed Serbian Post office in the red high-rise in North Mitrovica. Ivan Milojević, the director of the Serbian Post’s Kosovo unit, described this action as a form of „institutional violence.“
Kosovo Post Office Opened in North Mitrovica
Meanwhile, Kosovo has been actively establishing its postal presence in northern Kosovo. On August 29, a new Kosovo Post office branch was opened in North Mitrovica, in the presence of high-ranking Kosovo officials.
This development was met with protests from local activists, including members of the Serbian Democratic Party, who, along with local residents and civil activists, expressed their opposition by blowing whistles.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
