Djuric: Kurti's moves creating climate of fear, violence against Serbs has escalated

NEW YORK - Serbian FM Marko Djuric told the UN Security Council on Wednesday human rights violations and unilateral moves by the regime of Pristina's PM Albin Kurti were creating a climate of fear and instability in the Autonomous Province of Kosovo-Metohija and that violence against Serbs in the province had escalated to an alarming level.

"In 2024 alone, over 90 attacks specifically targeted Serbian individuals and properties, with not one perpetrator facing justice," Djuric said in a debate on the UN secretary-general's semi-annual report on the work of UNMIK, the UN Mission in Kosovo-Metohija.

"As a series of UNMIK reports and recent developments reveal, in the past two and a half years the situation in Kosovo-Metohija has worsened significantly, with human rights abuses and unilateral moves by the regime of Albin Kurti creating a climate of fear and instability," he said.

"Today, I am here to detail his regime`s serious transgressions against the Serbian community, and to appeal for your urgent, decisive action. And as we shall see today, the real question facing this council is will we stand aside while innocent ordinary people suffer, or will we take meaningful steps to protect the vulnerable," Djuric said.

"Pristina’s refusal to honour the Brussels Agreement, which calls for the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM), has stripped Serbs of even basic legal protections. Just two days ago, in a public statement that yet again openly challenges the fundamentals of the dialogue process and the rule of Kosovo`s own laws, PM Albin Kurti stated that he does not plan to implement the agreement on the CSM. This is not only a rejection of commitments made under EU mediation but a direct affront to this Council and the international community’s authority.

Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla, known for his documented violent attacks against EULEX just a couple of years ago, added to this affront when he stated that his administration has no intention of implementing Article 9 of the Brussels Agreement, which guarantees the collective return of Serb representatives to the Kosovo Police in the North," Djuric said.

"While not surprising, this open defiance is scandalous, undermining years of dialogue and casting doubt on Pristina’s willingness to build a peaceful future. If agreements, once signed, can be discarded and mocked, what foundation remains for trust and dialogue?" he added.

"Violence targeting Serbs has reached an alarming level. Military-style police patrols and provocative marches by Kosovo’s armed forces have intensified fear in Serbian areas. This year alone, six Serbs have been shot at, without a single person being held accountable. Who shot Dragisa Galjak in the back? This question is not even being raised anymore. Ethnically motivated attacks have risen by 50 per cent since Albin Kurti took office, with 434 incidents recorded over the past two and a half years. Imagine your community facing this kind of insecurity daily — would you feel safe?

In Northern Kosovo, Pristina’s special police forces have taken increasingly aggressive steps to suppress Serbian presence. Armed officers have stormed Serbian institutions, physically attacking unarmed civilians, and even wounding children. I have to mention that, unfortunately, we are seeing an increase even in the number of reported cases of sexual assault against Serbian women, sometimes by Kosovo security officials, without due process following.

All this is part of a systemic campaign aimed at intimidating an already deeply shaken community. Just last year, an 11-year-old boy, Stefan Stojanovic, together with his 21-year-old brother, was shot by a member of the so-called Kosovo security forces during a Christmas procession. The shooter, Azem Kurtaj, was granted de facto amnesty and remains completely free to this day. What message does it send when those who harm children are set free without consequence?" Djuric said.

In a message to Kosovo-Metohija Serbs, he said:

"You are not alone. Serbia stands with you in your struggle for justice, dignity, and security. We will not waver in our support for your rights to live in peace, to raise your families, and to preserve your heritage. Your courage in the face of adversity is a testament to your resilience and strength. As you continue to endure these challenges, rest assured that Serbia and the international community are fighting to ensure your rights, safety, and future.

We will not allow your voices to go unheard, and we will tirelessly advocate your right to live freely and safely in the land of your ancestors. The world must recognise that your struggle is not just about territory — it is about the fundamental right to live without fear, with dignity and justice," he said.

Djuric also warned that Kurti’s administration had recently enacted new expropriation measures that allowed for confiscation of Serbian land, further dispossessing those who wished to return.

He noted that Serbs Dragan Cvetkovic and Milos Sosic had been detained on unfounded charges last August.

"Their 'crime' was simply being Serbs in Kosovo," Djuric added.

"Is it not the right of every citizen to live in their homeland without fear of losing it?" he asked.

"We demand amnesty and release for all political prisoners held in captivity by the regime of Albin Kurti. There can be no true reconciliation or full normalisation until more than eighty Kosovo Serb political prisoners do not return to their homes.

We all recall numerous collective amnesties granted to former "KLA" ("Kosovo Liberation Army") members, even for crimes committed in North Macedonia many years after the war in Kosovo.

We also remember this picture of Kurti`s Interior Minister Svecla standing in front of a burnt-down EULEX vehicle, and Kurti`s mob attacking US Ambassador Tracy Ann Jacobson in parliament in Pristina, while blocking the work of this body with stun grenades and tear gas for months on end. Are we now supposed to accept that one Milun Milenkovic Lune is a terrorist and Svecla is a law-abiding citizen and even an acceptable interlocutor?" Djuric said.

"To the Albanian community in Kosovo, I want to be clear: Serbia has no conflict with you. Our issue is with the actions and policies of Albin Kurti’s regime, not with the Albanian people.

We recognise your aspirations for peace and prosperity, just as we do for the Serbian community. We call on you to reject policies of division and conflict and to join us in seeking a future built on mutual respect, security, and cooperation," Djuric said.

"Let us together Imagine a future where Albanian and Serbian children learn and grow together, where neighbors support one another, and where economic growth benefits all. This future is possible, but it requires rejecting extremist policies that deepen the divide.

Stand with us in calling for a Kosovo government that respects all its citizens and fulfills its international commitments," he added.

"To the international community: the time for decisive action is now. Pristina’s leadership, under Albin Kurti, continues to undermine stability, violate human rights, and ignore international agreements.

We need clear consequences for these actions. Sanctions against Kurti’s administration must be imposed, and zero tolerance must be shown for further unilateral moves that violate agreements and provoke conflict.

We urge this Council to enforce existing agreements, particularly the Brussels Agreement, and to hold Pristina accountable for its commitments.

The implementation of the Community of Serb Municipalities is not optional — it is a legally binding obligation that must be honoured without delay. Kosovo’s leadership must be compelled to respect the rights of all its citizens and uphold its commitments to peace and security," Djuric said.