Aleksandar Arsenijević, the leader of the Serbian Democracy Party, claims that two Kosovo police officers in civilian clothing have been following him and monitoring his movements. In a video he posted on social media on Wednesday, Arsenijević filmed the officers in question and even offered them refreshments, acknowledging their presence while they allegedly trailed him throughout the day in sweltering heat.
„You’ve been following me all day in this heat, so here’s a Coke for each of you,“ Arsenijević said in the video, playfully adding, „You’ll need it; I’ll be here until 5 o’clock, and it’s only going to get hotter. Since you’re following and filming me, let’s make sure you stay refreshed.“
The two men declined the offer, and Arsenijević ended the video with a lighthearted comment: „Offered, but not accepted.“
Arsenijević’s Response
In a statement to our portal, Arsenijević elaborated on his concerns, claiming that he first noticed the surveillance on Wednesday and that several individuals had informed him that he was being recorded. „I noticed two men following me, and more people have confirmed that they were even filming me. They follow me when I whistle or when I sit in a café,“ Arsenijević said, further claiming that he had material evidence of their surveillance.
He speculated that the surveillance could be related to an earlier incident the same day when he publicly whistled at Visar Syla, the chief of staff of the North Mitrovica municipality. Arsenijević believes the two men may have been shadowing him even before this encounter.
„I think it’s connected to me following and whistling at Visar, but I also think it’s linked to every action we take,“ Arsenijević explained. He mentioned that on several occasions, he had also noticed vehicles and other individuals seemingly monitoring him. However, he took a pragmatic approach to the situation, noting, „I’m a politician, a public figure. They are probably worried about our activities. I’ve seen them trailing me before. I approached them and said, ‘Guys, if you’re going to follow me, just don’t lie—report the truth. Film whatever you want.'“
Police Deny Targeted Surveillance
The Kosovo Police, however, deny that Arsenijević is under any specific surveillance. According to Veton Elshani, Deputy Commander of the Kosovo Police for the Northern Region, the officers seen in Arsenijević’s video are indeed police officers in civilian clothing, but they were stationed in the area to monitor the general situation, not to follow Arsenijević specifically.
„We are not monitoring him. Everyone knows him, so why would we follow him?“ Elshani told KoSSev, adding that the police are aware of Arsenijević’s movements through his own social media activity. „We just need to look at his posts, and we know where he is. We have other operational plans for various situations. There’s no need to monitor him because he’s very visible,“ Elshani stated.
He confirmed that the officers in the video were in the area as part of their routine duties to oversee the situation in the town square. „These young officers are there at King Lazar’s Square to monitor any potential incidents. They are in civilian clothes doing their job,“ he added.
Arsenijević Remains Unbothered
Despite the alleged surveillance, Arsenijević maintains that he has no issue with being followed, as long as it’s being done by the police. „As far as I’m concerned, if it’s the police, I have no problem because I’m not engaging in any illegal activities. I don’t know the reason for it, but I don’t mind. It’s a public space, and they can go wherever they want,“ Arsenijević said.
He also stated that he has not reported the surveillance to the authorities, explaining that it isn’t necessary. „I haven’t reported it to the police because there’s no need. We’re in a state of emergency, so being followed is the least that could happen to me. Just as long as they don’t start beating me or arresting me over a whistle. Everyone should do their job, but fairly. Being followed is the mildest measure they could impose on me,“ Arsenijević concluded.
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