Escobar: Serbs to live in security and dignity conditions, government will be held responsible for this

The American emissary for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, on the second day of his visit to Kosovo has visited the Decani Monastery, a day after the government told the Qadastria Agency to register the monastery property. He has also visited the Peja municipality, where he met with Mayor Gazmend Muhharrier, representatives of civil society and media from Gorazdeci, as well as young people from the Albanian, Serbian and Bosnian community in this municipality.

Escobar from there said he saw people suffering and that they are having real difficulties getting their pensions. For the lives of Serbs in Kosovo, he said they would hold the Government of Kosovo accountable.

I wanted to come to this place to hear stories from the first hand that people have on the impact of having the CEC's decision. It's hard to hear these stories and not move. Here's a community that's really suffering. There are people who are facing real difficulties with the lack of options for retirement. So, I really want to work with Government in the hope that we can find an immediate solution of”.

Escobar, in a proposal for the local Serbian-language media “Radio Gorazdevac”, said Serbs in Kosovo and all living here should feel US support.

“For the community here, I want these to feel and know that the American government wants Serbs to live in Kosovo under security and dignity conditions and we will continue to work on it. And for the Government of Kosovo, they have the responsibility to do so and we will hold it responsible for this”.

Also, Escobar added that the recent Kosovo- Serbia must be implemented and said it will continue to work for this.

“In the meantime, in the long term, we must work hard to implement the historic normalisation agreement we reached in March last year. So, we will continue to work, but while I think that all Kosovo people can count on American support, including Albanians, Serbs, Bosniaks, all who live in this country. I hope they feel American support and American partnership”.