Agim Musliu, founder of the Octopus Institute, strongly condemned the recent celebration by Serbian high school graduates in North Mitrovica.
“Slogans like ‘Kosovo is the heart of Serbia,’ ‘Vidovdan,’ and ‘Boo Albanians’ are not a celebration — they are an incitement,” Musliu said.
He argued that Serbia is “educating youth in hatred and blind nationalism” and using such events to intimidate local Albanians and undermine peace and coexistence.
„Serbia, through its illegal structures in the north, led by the terrorist Radoičić, is educating the youth in hatred and blind nationalism.“
“This is the instrumentalization of youth in service of a dangerous political agenda from Belgrade. Our institutions must stop the normalization of hatred,” Musliu stressed.
What Happened on the North Mitrovica Promenade?
Musliu’s comments arrived in response to events that took place during a traditional graduation parade in North Mitrovica, where students marched through the town accompanied by brass bands.
Tensions reportedly rose when a guest at a local café—owned by an ethnic Albanian—made a hand gesture resembling the double-headed eagle, a symbol often associated with Albanian nationalism.
According to students who spoke to KoSSev, they responded by showing their middle fingers. Police then intervened, and video footage circulating on social media shows an officer grabbing a student by the neck, telling him in Albanian to stop provoking. A brief scuffle ensued between students and police officers.
The incident drew sharp criticism from a range of actors—including EULEX representatives, northern Kosovo politicians, Serbian officials, and NGOs—who accused Kosovo Police of using excessive force.
In contrast, the Kosovo Police in the North defended their response, stating their officers acted appropriately to de-escalate a potentially volatile situation. They argued that the students had been heckling café guests and were asked politely to stop.
Minister Sveçla echoed this account, praising the officers’ conduct and accusing the students of provoking tensions with chants like “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia.”
He posted a video showing young people waving Serbian flags and singing “Vidovdan,” a folk song with strong national and religious connotations—but did not include footage of the incident itself, or the café guest showing the double-headed eagle.
Sveçla also emphasized that Serbian media and political actors are trying to use the recent incident in North Mitrovica for propaganda purposes, portraying a police warning as an act of violence.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia has issued an arrest warrant for Dilot Brahimi, a member of the Kosovo Police, on suspicion that he physically assaulted and injured a Serbian high school student during end-of-school-year celebrations in North Mitrovica.
He will be arrested, authorities say, “as soon as he becomes accessible to Serbian police, from today onward, without statute of limitations, whenever that may be possible.”
At the same time, Serbia’s Ministry of Justice has called for an urgent and impartial international investigation, the “identification and prosecution of the perpetrator,” and for international representatives to “actively engage in the protection of the rights of the Serbian people.” The Ministry also urged them to suspend “political and logistical support to the Kosovo Police until accountability is established and the basic human rights of Serbs are respected.”
Following these reactions Albanian social media users launched a wave of coordinated support posts, sharing the officer’s photo accompanied by the message: “Only Albanian Language.”
The officer himself addressed the public yesterday, stating: “Now more than ever, I am determined to continue serving with integrity, dedication, and honor.”
Read more:
Sveçla Accuses Serbian Media of Spreading Propaganda Over Mitrovica Incident
Kosovo Police Deny Reports of Protests and Escalation During Graduation Parade in North Mitrovica
Serb NGOs Condemn Police Conduct During Graduation Celebration
Why Did a Police Officer Grab a Graduate by the Neck in North Mitrovica?
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
