One June, “grake” for destabilisation in the north

Even though this largest party of Serbs in Kosovo has not provided any evidence for the alleged depression, it has warned that if it does not stop, Serbs, starting on June 1st, “will defend themselves by all means”.

These warnings were made on May 19th, on the day Erden Attic, from the ranks of Vetevendosje Movement, received the mandate of North Mitrovica's mayor, Serb-inhabited municipality.

The Serbian list has not detailed what the “defence by all means” will mean, but Veroub Petronic, from the Human Centre in Mitrovica, believes it is most likely to be about civic protests.

Aleksandar Popov, head of the Centre for Regionalism in Novi Sad, says Kosovo authorities should be careful and “do not create causes” for unrest in northern Kosovo.

Some Kosovo lawmakers, on the other hand, describe the Serbian List's warning as a threat to Kosovo authorities.

What exactly has the Serbian List warned?

The head of the Serbian List has announced that on 1 June, members of the Serbian community will be protected “with all means against the Kosovo government's repression “the invasion of the north” has begun with taking the post of North Mitrovica chairman.

As “repression”, the Serbian List sees the process of “implementation in the north by the Government of Kosovo, holding local elections in that region, and prosecuting or arresting Serbs from Kosovo authorities”.

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Attic is one of four Albanian mayors of Serb majority municipalities in northern Kosovo: Northern Mitrovica, Zubin Potok, Zvecan and Leposaviq.

They won extraordinary elections last month, as Serb community gets them boycotted Those.

And this invasion, like any other, has its beginning and its end. It will end when Serbs want it”, Serbian List Deputy Chairman Igor Sim enemies said at a press conference on May 19th.

He has not answered journalists' questions about what means they plan to protect themselves with, but has said Serbs have long been facing institutional violence “ ”.

Kosovo Government Response

The Kosovo government says Kosovo's <x0 Serbs, in particular those in the country's north, are mostly endangered by the Serb List itself and criminal groups operating under the official Belgrade dictatorship”.

“Respecting the law and constitutionality do not pose a danger to our citizen who is interested in order and municipal services. Both have been missing because of the Serbian List's actions and interests... We want rule of law and respect of democracy that guarantees peace and security”, a statement sent forth, says. REL from the Kosovo Prime Minister's Office.

Threat or trap?

Some Kosovo Assembly deputies, who are part of the parliamentary Commission on Security and Defence Issues, say the ultimatum of the Serbian List is a threat to Kosovo institutions. However, they say that in terms of this issue, so far, none of the directors of dictatorships and security institutions have invited, to be more detailed.

The chairman of this commission, Becko Berisha, who comes from the ranks of the opposition Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, sees the Serbian List's ultimatum as an attempt to trap the country's institutions.

“But how is it no threat? To respond then to the threat and scale the situation? This should be managed by those in power”, Berisha says.

Parliamentary Commission for Security and Protection Deputy Chairman Enver Dugolli, from the ruling Vetevendosje Movement, says this commission will invite responsible dictatorship leaders if it considers reporting is needed.

“currently see no reason, because Government and the institutions and the line ministries are doing the jobs based on law”, Dugolli says.

However, Rashit Qalaj, a member of the Commission from the Democratic Party of Kosovo, says the ultimatum of the Serbian List should be dealt with seriously by the government.

I think this threat of the Serbian List is not about the size of the face of the page. I think she's planning something. However, the situation will depend on talks in Brussels [for normalising Kosovo-Serbia relations] and Belgrade's stance in relation to local Serbs [in northern Kosovo”, says Qalaj.

Popov: Kosovo not give alibi to Vuciqi

Aleksandar Popov, head of the Centre for Regionalism in Novi Sad, estimates that Kosovo authorities should be attentive to messages sent by the Serbian List, which enjoys support by authorities in Belgrade.

“I think Pristina should take care of rule of the law, but it should not spur or give the alibi for increasing tensions in the north of Kosovo, either by expropriation that has sparked the revolt of Serbs there or by any other action. The sides should refrain from making unilateral moves, especially those that can radicalise the situation even further, because things can then go too far from”, Popov says.

According to him, there is the impression that Kosovo and Serbia want to avoid implementing a new agreement on normalising relations, which was reached in March in Ohrid, creating different pretexts.

In this context, a strain of the situation in northern Kosovo, Popov says, corresponds to Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, whose powers, last weeks, are facing protests due to two mass killings that have occurred in Serbia.

“After a very long time, Vuciqi has been deeply shocked on the local terrain with these already occurring protests. He has warned against the gathering. He, even conditioning that attention turn to the Kosovo issue, saying, you are now weakening Serbia and the regime, already in northern Kosovo, Serb rights are being jeopardised, says Popov.

What is expected on June 1?

Verolub Petronic, from the Human Centre in Mitrovica, which deals with security issues, estimates that Serbian List reports refer to social protests. He says they could endanger the security of the people and Kosovo institutions.

If there are social protests on a larger scale, there is always the possibility that one in the crowd will do something against institutions”, Petroniq says.

It does not rule out the possibility of destabilisation on the ground, adding that the situation depends also on the European Union, rather than on Pristina and Belgrade.

Free Europe Radio has turned to the EU with the question of how it comments on the Serbian List's warning that “will be replaced by all means from June 1st”, but until the publication of this text, it has not received answers.

Earlier, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who mediates dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, has expressed fear of the possible escalation of the situation in northern Kosovo.

Borrell has called on the parties to find a solution that would enable the return of Serbs to Kosovo institutions in the north.

They have abandoned the institutions since early November, due to a Kosovo Government plan to reregister cars with Serbian illegal license plates in Kosovo plates.