Kosovo and Serbian NGOs get together: Condemning Volin's hate language against Albanians

Nongovernmental organisations from Kosovo and Serbia have condemned the language of hatred against Albanians used by Serbia's Minister of Internal Affairs, Alexander Vulin. In a joint statement signed by 24 organisations, Serbian Prime Minister Anna Brnabyq is urged to react.

“We, civil society organisations signed below by Kosovo and Serbia, strongly condemn Serbia's Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin's insulting and humiliating language towards Albanians. We call on Serbia's government, Serbia's prime minister, Ana Brnabiq, to react and condemn the use of such hate speech by Minister Volin and appeal against the use of the word "Sypitar"”, it is said in the communiqué.

On May 20, 2022, Minister Volin used the word “siptar” repeatedly to refer to Albanians, and his statement to the media was published on the official page of Serbia's Ministry of Internal Affairs. In 2018, the Serbian judiciary found the word ésiptarʹ as insulting and labeled hate speech.

Despite this, Minister Voulin has actively and consistently used it in the case when referring to Albanians and continues to do so without any consequence in his public position.

Public officials using hate language have no place in government. The hate language undermines the spread of European values in our societies, including the standard framework for human rights, rule of law and the functioning of a democratic and tolerant society. Moreover, when hate language is used freely by senior government officials to target a specific ethnic group, it can have devastating consequences, as it promotes discrimination, radicalisation of ethno-political and potentially leads to violence. The rhetoric used by Minister Volin in his speech is the same rhetoric used by the media and officials during the nine years to dehumanise the Albanian population and promote mistreatment, human rights violations, and ultimately war crimes in Kosovo”, said in the response of these organisations.

According to them, using hate speech by senior government officials, such as the case with Minister Volin, encourages in our societies to work against peace and normalise relations between Kosovo and Serbia, and ultimately against a European future for all countries in our region.

Signatories are: Active, The Balkan Forum, Balkans Policy Research Group (BPRG), Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCBP), Cvic Initiatives, Center for Peace and Tolerance (CPT), Democracy Plus (D+), Foundation BFEP for Security a Responsible Society, The Human Rights Council Guide, Inuter, InTER, Jelena Lončar, Academy, University of Belgrad, Kosovar Centre for Security &lt; Kosovacit <34>, Kosovatic Institute of Kosovo <5>, Inaux Laux Lawirez <6Hodekt>, Local Group, Inc.HedocHedocaterey State Group <x Group, Inc.

Rahim Salihi, Civil Society Activist, Bujanovac, Valon Arifi, Civil Society Activist, Vjollca Krasniqi, Academic, University of Pristina, Voice of Rome, Ashkali and Egypts ( Vo RAE, Youth Initiative for Human Rights Serbia ( YIHR Serbia) and Your Initiative for Human Rights Kosovo (YIHR KS).