We are taking the necessary investigative actions to shed light on allegations of kidnappings – the Kosovo Police said in a statement for KoSSev, addressing the recent media reports on alleged kidnappings of Serbs in the north of Kosovo.
Pristina media reported in the previous days that several Serbs were allegedly kidnapped in the North.
Citing „reliable sources“, KosovaPress reported on two occasions that four and then two more persons from the Serbian community were allegedly kidnapped.
In the first text, this media outlet published the initials of four persons, revealing that one of them was kidnapped in Socanica, and the other in Leposavic by masked persons, and that they were „immediately transported to Serbia“ in black jeeps.
The same media then reported that two ethnic Serb women were allegedly kidnapped.
In a response to KoSSev, the Kosovo Police addressed these media reports, stating that they are investigating these allegations.
„In recent days, information, reports, and announcements have appeared in the media about the kidnapping, beatings, and mistreatment of individual citizens of Serbian ethnicity by members of criminal structures in the northern part of the Republic of Kosovo. The Kosovo Police, its respective units, approach this information with seriousness and undertake the necessary investigative actions to shed light on this,“ the KP said.
At the same time, they assess that „threats and endangering the security“ of citizens in the North have resulted in an increase in police capacity in managing the security situation and preventing criminal activities.
„In this regard, in addition to active engagements, checkpoints for vehicles have been set up in towns and road routes,“ said the Kosovo Police.
They also thanked the citizens for their cooperation and for providing information with the aim of solving criminal acts which, as they state, cause panic and fear among citizens.
On the same day, several police checkpoints were set up not far from the turnoff for Banjska near the Bistrica bridge on the main Mitrovica-Leposavic road. Fully equipped police units are stationed at the checkpoints.
After additional police forces were deployed in North Mitrovica 14 days ago, the police officers have now been deployed on the main road in the north of Kosovo – where several roadblocks were previously installed by the local Serbs.
A new crisis is underway in the North, which heightened at the beginning of November when the Serbs left most of Kosovo’s institutions, including the government, the assembly, the municipal assemblies in the North, the police, and the judiciary.
The local Serbs erected barricades in the north of Kosovo, in nine places, 13 days ago, following the arrest of Dejan Pantic, a former policeman. The Jarinje and Brnjak crossings have also been closed since then. Although Kosovo and international officials have been calling for their removal since day one, the barricades have yet to be dismantled.
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