Several Kosovo Serb civic initiatives and a political movement have addressed an open letter to the Kosovo government, the European Union and international organizations, calling for the immediate postponement of the implementation of the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Vehicles, announced to take effect after midnight on January 16, unless the Ministry in Pristina issues different instructions.
The open letter was sent by the civic initiatives “Sever za sve” (North for All) and “Koreni” (Roots), together with the Serbian National Movement, on behalf of Kosovo Serbs. The signatories warn that the planned implementation of the laws would place thousands of people in what they describe as a “legally unacceptable and serious life situation.”
The two laws directly affect Kosovo Serbs who live, work and study in Kosovo but hold personal documents issued by authorities in central Serbia, as well as those who drive vehicles registered in Serbian cities or use cars based on authorizations.
Repeated delays, enforcement expected after midnight
Kosovo authorities first announced preparations to enforce the two existing laws in mid-September last year. Their implementation was initially scheduled for November 1, then postponed to January 15, and subsequently delayed again. According to the latest announcement, enforcement is now expected to begin after midnight on January 16, unless new instructions are issued by the relevant ministry.
The announcement has drawn criticism from Serbian civil society organizations in Kosovo and raised concerns among international actors. UNMIK and several UN representatives voiced their worries during a recent UN Security Council session.
Police: Warnings in initial phase
Speaking to KoSSev on Wednesday evening, Veton Elshani, Deputy Regional Commander for the North, said that police would initially issue warnings only and would not stop every vehicle.
Drivers in emergency situations will be allowed to pass, while vehicle owners transferring their cars across crossings to leave them in Serbia will not be penalized, Elshani said. In cases where penalties are imposed, they would constitute minor offenses and would not result in vehicle confiscation.
Regarding the Law on Foreigners, Elshani explained that police will focus on registering individuals who live and work in Kosovo without Kosovo-issued documents, as well as recording visitors.
“People are being pushed into legal violations”
In their open letter, the signatories stress that thousands of families use vehicles with Serbian license plates, often registered in the names of relatives or friends. They argue that this practice is not a matter of choice but the result of long-standing administrative, institutional and economic obstacles.
They also point out that Kosovo law and the new administrative instruction do not allow for vehicle re-registration, effectively pushing citizens into legal violations and creating an atmosphere of legal uncertainty and fear.
“It is unacceptable to punish citizens for institutional failures over which they had no control,” the letter states.
Concerns over the Law on Foreigners
The groups also warn that the implementation of the Law on Foreigners would place many Kosovo Serbs in an “absurd and humiliating position,” treating them as foreigners in their own homes.
According to the letter, many residents lack Kosovo personal documents solely due to unresolved legal status and years of administrative barriers. Implementing the law without clear exemptions or transitional solutions, they argue, would further endanger basic human rights and represent another form of systemic pressure on the Serbian and other non-majority communities.
Calls for dialogue and international engagement
The signatories call for the immediate suspension or postponement of the disputed regulations, the opening of a new dialogue with Serbian and other non-majority communities, and the search for sustainable solutions such as re-registration mechanisms or temporary insurance models.
They also urge the active involvement of the European Union and other international representatives to protect fundamental human rights and prevent discriminatory policies, as well as the consideration of special legal regimes or transitional arrangements in line with international human rights standards.
“We will not remain silent in the face of injustice,” the letter concludes. “We will continue to publicly point out problems and oppose any decision that leads to discrimination and institutional pressure on the Serbian population.”
Previously, the Serbian List party also requested the Kosovo government to delay the implementation of the laws.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
