Petkovic: Laws to support Kosovo-Metohija Serbs unrelated to commitments from dialogue

BELGRADE - The head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija Petar Petkovic said on Wednesday laws to be passed by Serbia to support Serbs in the Autonomous Province of Kosovo-Metohija were unrelated to Belgrade's commitments from the dialogue with Pristina and were a direct consequence of, and a reaction to, oppression against the Serbs by the Pristina regime and a lack of visible actions by the EU rule of law mission - EULEX - to protect the Serbs, ensure rule of law and avert a humanitarian disaster in Kosovo-Metohija, caused by Albin Kurti's unilateral moves and violence against the Serbs.

"Since Kurti's rise to power (as Pristina's PM), 555 ethnically motivated incidents and 127 escalatory moves by the Pristina regime have been registered and, since the June 3 call on Pristina by the EU-27 to urgently deescalate the situation in Kosovo-Metohija, almost 20 per cent of Serbs have moved out of the north of Kosovo-Metohija due to Albin Kurti's terror and the unbearable living conditions created for the Serbs by the Pristina regime. I would like to remind you that this was also the reason why a UN Security Council session has been held," Petkovic said in a statement.

"Due to abolitions, closures and bans by Pristina, the Serbs face a humanitarian disaster and their existence has been put in question, they are forced to leave their ancestral homes due to the terror, and that is why a law on social assistance and benefits is necessary to them," Petkovic said.

He noted that Belgrade and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had publicly said on multiple occasions Serbia would not sit with its arms crossed while Kurti was persecuting and harassing the Serbs and seeking to leave them without any income and protection, and added that Serbia could not and would not allow further persecution and disenfranchisement of the Serbs.

Petkovic also asked EU representatives why they had first backed and welcomed the measures publicly announced by Belgrade in September, only to abruptly change their opinion following Kurti's criticism of the laws on Tuesday.

"Is that credibility?" Petkovic asked.