Petkovic informs Petersson of situation in Kosovo-Metohija

BELGRADE - The head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija Petar Petkovic met with the state secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eivind Vad Petersson, on Friday to inform him in detail of a deterioration of the security situation in the province as a result of Albin Kurti's unilateral and violent moves.

In a Facebook post, Petkovic wrote that he had told Petersson the fresh crisis in the north of Kosovo-Metohija was a result of Kurti's policy of constant pressure and physical and institutional violence against Serbs in the province as well as his decision to install illegal and illegitimate mayors in Serb municipalities by relying on special police forces.

"Instead of making moves towards de-escalation, as requested clearly by all representatives of the international community, on a daily basis, Kurti continues to escalate the situation through unilateral moves and to cause fresh tensions through arrests of innocent Serbs and provocations against the peaceful Serb population by his special police forces, for which there is no place in the north of Kosovo-Metohija. The first step he needs to take is to release all innocently incarcerated Serbs," Petkovic noted.

He also told Petersson the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities under the Brussels Agreement was now ten years overdue.

The EU, as a guarantor of the agreement, must ensure collective rights to Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija, who live as if they were in Europe's last remaining ghetto, Petkovic said.