The Serbian Democracy party has issued a strong protest over what it describes as the arbitrary revocation of Kosovo citizenship from ethnic Serbs and their unlawful deportations, accusing Kosovo’s caretaker government of engaging in ethnic and political discrimination.
In a statement released Monday, the party denounced recent actions by Kosovo’s acting Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Sveçla, who allegedly acted as an „arbitrary authority“ in revoking the citizenship of several Serbs residing in Kosovo and expelling them from the territory without court orders, due process, or legal remedies.
According to the party, three members of Serbia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) — all Kosovo Serbs living in the territory — were deported within a 24-hour period over the weekend. Their Kosovo-issued documents were confiscated, and they were handed five-year bans on reentering Kosovo. No prior notification, arrest warrants, or opportunities to appeal the decisions were provided.
“This represents an institutional mechanism of collective punishment,” the Serbian Democracy party declared, warning that such measures violate both domestic and international legal norms.
Accusations of Legal Violations
The party asserts that these actions violate several provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights, particularly Article 8 (right to private and family life) and Article 13 (right to an effective legal remedy). It also cited breaches of the Kosovo Constitution, including Article 24 (equality before the law) and Article 31 (right to a fair trial).
“Stripping citizenship and deporting individuals without trial or evidence amounts to a grave violation of fundamental human rights and legal safeguards,” the statement said.
“This creates a dangerous precedent where ethnicity and political affiliation determine who is entitled to rights.”
Background: Arrests and Escalation
The deportations follow a series of arrests involving Kosovo Serbs employed by Serbia’s police structures. From Friday to Sunday (June 14–16), five such individuals were detained at various integrated border crossings between Kosovo and Serbia. One of them, a retired officer, was released after questioning, but three were deported within 48 hours. Their documents were seized and entry into Kosovo barred for five years.
The status of a fourth individual remains unclear, with Serbian officials claiming he too was expelled, while Pristina has not confirmed this.
These developments come shortly after the arrest of Arbnor Spahiu, a former member of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and Kosovo Special Police, who was detained by Serbian authorities on June 7. He is suspected of involvement in a deadly incident in Banjska in 2023.
Belgrade has expressed concern that the recent actions against Kosovo Serbs may be retaliatory in nature or aimed at pressuring Serbia over Spahiu’s detention. However, Kosovo’s authorities, including Minister Sveçla, have cited legal provisions from the Kosovo Law on Citizenship, which allows for revocation of citizenship in cases involving foreign security forces or activities allegedly threatening national security — though no formal charges or evidence were presented in these recent cases.
Call for International Response
The Serbian Democracy party is calling on the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), OSCE, the EU Office in Kosovo, EULEX, the U.S. and German Embassies, and other international actors to urgently respond to what it terms “a silent campaign of exclusion and expulsion.”
It issued three demands:
1. Immediate suspension of all citizenship revocation decisions made without court procedures;
2. Full transparency in the application of the Citizenship Law;
3. Legal guarantees of equality for all Kosovo citizens, regardless of ethnicity.
“The Serbian people have the right to remain in Kosovo — as equal citizens, protected by both the Constitution and international law,” the statement said.
“We will not stand silent as our citizens are erased from the system.”
A Dangerous Precedent
The party warns that the current pattern of administrative expulsions threatens to normalize ethnic profiling and could expose all Serbs in Kosovo — not just police personnel, but teachers, doctors, students, and journalists — to arbitrary punishment and social exclusion.
“This is not just a legal abuse, but an institutionalized form of ethnic targeting,” the statement concluded.
Today it’s police officers — tomorrow it could be anyone
Read more:
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Fast-Tracked Expulsions Raise Rule of Law Concerns in Kosovo
Another Serbian Police Officer Removed from Kosovo — Third Deportation in Recent Days
Another Serbian Police Officer Arrested at IBM
Second Serbian Police Officer Deported from Kosovo in One Day
Kosovo deports Serbian police officer after revoking his Kosovan citizenship
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
