“People should not feel pressured by the presence of the police. People should know that the police presence does not mean that it’s against someone. It’s just to ensure the rule of law and to make all the activities possible, so that people who want to go shopping anywhere, have a coffee, visit a pharmacy, or go anywhere else, are safe and free,” said Kosovo’s Minister of Agriculture, Faton Peci, in an interview with KoSSev.
The interview was conducted last week, just a day before a new operation by the Kosovo Police, which on Friday shut down the remaining Serbian institutions in Northern Kosovo, including municipal services and administrative offices. The police are now guarding these buildings, where employees have been gathering each morning this week.
The interview was arranged at the Ministry’s invitation to promote its latest program, worth over €20 million and funded by the German government. This program aims to develop agro-tourism, with a special focus on Northern Kosovo, supporting rural tourism and small-scale farmers.
Investing in agro-tourism will not only promote sustainable development but also strengthen the ties between communities in the North, Peci stated during the interview. The program is set to launch this month and will span three years, offering financial aid at three levels: up to €10,000, up to €50,000, and up to €300,000.
While Peci emphasized the inclusive nature of the project, asserting that „no ethnic distinctions“ would be made in the process, he also acknowledged the unique challenges faced by the northern regions. “I am aware that the northern part of Kosovo, despite its diverse ethnic composition, has not had the same opportunities for agricultural development as other parts of the country,” Peci said, underscoring his commitment to ensuring equal opportunities for all.
Peci was surprised when confronted with claims that some members of the Serbian community feel discriminated against by the current government. “This is the first time I’m hearing about it. I can’t imagine, I can’t understand, I can’t believe there is even one reason for citizens in the North to feel discriminated against,” he said. Instead, he noted a different sentiment among the locals, a fear of „problematic people“ rather than dissatisfaction with the government itself.
Photos and posts on Peci’s Facebook page suggest that he is one of the busiest officials with numerous investments in agriculture. After KoSSev’s editor-in-chief, who conducted the interview with Peci, remarked that Serbian farmers are not prominently featured among the beneficiaries, the minister stressed that this does not mean they are excluded.
“From my interactions with the farmers in the North, they are satisfied with this government but are afraid, for example, to be photographed with the minister because they might face repercussions from certain problematic individuals,” Peci explained. He asserted that his ministry has supported Serbs in various projects and promised to provide a list of these beneficiaries.
Peci also highlighted that the overwhelming majority of Kosovo’s population, over 90%, is Albanian, a reality that, according to him, cannot be changed. Nevertheless, he expressed a strong desire to support all farmers, regardless of their ethnicity.
“I want to have as many Serbian farmers as our beneficiaries as possible. My initiative has been to launch this project to support various regions, but the main goal is to stimulate the economic development of the North.”
The conversation also touched on the sensitivities surrounding the use of certain terminology. Peci expressed discomfort with the term „Metohija,“ a name commonly used by Serbs for a region in Kosovo. When asked what term might be used in Serbian instead, he responded: “You can use, as friendly advice, any term that does not pretend, avoid, or reject the reality as it is: that Kosovo is an independent state.”
He suggested that terms like „Dukagjin“ or simply the name of the municipality would be more appropriate, as they reflect Kosovo’s status as an independent state.
The question of how this relates to the term “Metohija,” used historically by Serbs in Kosovo, including those remaining in Goraždevac, Klina, Osojane, and Prizren, was left unanswered by Peci.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
