Kurti: Integration of ethnic Serb citizens in Kosovo angers Belgrade, disinforming with Russia's help

Prime Minister Kurti welcomed the panels that addressed the rise of the right, and spoke of the risk posed for security and peace by Russia and Serbia's expansionist ideology in Europe and the Western Balkans.

“Just as in the early years of World War II, Serbia, with the help of its close ally Russia, is trying to mobilise support for its expansionist ambitions through deinformation and propaganda, lying to its people for the alleged enemies of Serbia and ethnic Serbs in neighbouring countries”, Prime Minister Kurti argued.

“Such a lie is Serbia's repeated claim that Kosovo is conducting ethnic cleansing or pragmats against the ethnic Serb population. This claim has been widely rejected by independent organisations like the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia and the European Stability Initiative in Berlin. In fact, the opposite is true: Our social-democratic government in Kosovo has not only succeeded in fighting corruption and creating jobs we have also made sure that all our citizens, including the ethnic Serb community, enjoy the fruits of our development. This progress is exactly what makes Belgrade so angry: The more ethnic Serb citizens integrate into the Republic of Kosovo, the more difficult it is for Serbia to achieve its vision of territorial expansion”, Prime Minister Kurti said.