Employees from several Serbian institutions, including the Provisional Organ of the Municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica, the Mitrovica District Building, the Kosovo Office, and the Pension Fund, gathered this morning for the second time in two days outside their respective offices. These institutions have been closed since a recent operation conducted by Kosovo Police.
At around 7 a.m., workers from the Provisional Organ of the Municipality assembled near the bus station before proceeding toward their workplace.
They were met by members of the Kosovo Police, who informed them that conditions had not yet been met for their return to work.
When pressed for a timeline, the response was vague: „It depends on the Prosecutor’s Office.“
Veteran employees Vesna Savić and Saša Petrović addressed the media, underscoring the importance of these institutions in serving all citizens, regardless of ethnicity.
Savić lamented, „By closing the municipality, all fundamental rights have been denied. I, as an employee, had the opportunity to assist Albanians, Romani, and Gorani. Now, these services are unavailable.“
Petrović called on the international community, particularly the European Union, to provide clarity on the situation.
„Our rights to work, live, and move freely are now threatened. I urge them to give us an explanation,“ he stated.
Similar gatherings occurred at the Mitrovica District Building, the Kosovo Office, and the Pension Fund.
Vučina Janković, head of the Mitrovica District, reiterated that these institutions provide services to all citizens, irrespective of their national or religious affiliations.
He urged the international community to intervene to prevent human rights violations, stating, „Our signs and flags are being removed, but we remain resolute in our intention to stay.“
The closure of these institutions follows a coordinated action by Kosovo Police last Friday, which targeted Serbian institutions in all four municipalities in northern Kosovo. The operation also led to the closure of buildings housing the Kosovo Office, Pension Fund, and public utility company. This follows a year-long trend of increasing restrictions, including the recent closure of Serbian post offices and financial institutions.
In addition to the institution closures, Kosovo Police conducted a raid on the boiler room of the Clinical and Hospital Center in North Mitrovica, discovering military equipment and supplies. A total of eight locations were searched, resulting in the sealing of four sites—two in North Mitrovica and one each in Zvečan and Leposavić. No Serbian offices were found in Zubin Potok.
This move follows a series of restrictive measures imposed over the past year, including the removal of Serbian dinars from circulation, re-registration of vehicles, and the cancellation of Serbian driver’s licenses.
With the shutdown of Serbian institutions, thousands of people in Northern Kosovo are estimated to have lost their physical workplaces.
International officials and missions, including those from the United States, NATO, and the European Union, have condemned what they describe as unilateral actions by Kosovo authorities.
Despite EULEX presence at the scene, they claim the operation was not coordinated with them and express concern over its impact on the Serbian community.
Over the weekend, Kosovo authorities replaced the signs at the closed Serbian institutions with those of Kosovo, further intensifying the ongoing tensions.
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