Police respond to Eparchy Raske-Prizren: Unfounded pretends create false perceptions

Eparchy Race-Prizren, in her response published Friday, has accused Kosovo institutions of systematic discrimination against Serbs and the Serbian Orthodox Church, claiming that Kosovo institutions are putting continuous pressure on the Serb community.

Meanwhile, through a reaction sent to the media, the KK says such claims do not rely on facts, do not reflect the reality of Kosovo Police activity and create a false perception of the term, composition and manner of functioning of the institution.

Kosovo's “Police are constitutional and professional institutions, founded on principles of democratic state and rule of law. Police officials from all communities living in the Republic of Kosovo, including the Serb community, who exercise office on the basis of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, the Law for Police, the Code of Police Ethics and European Law enforcement standards”.

“The multiethnic composition of the Kosovo Police, the civil and institutional surveillance mechanisms, as well as continued co-operation with international security partners, exclude any claim that Kosovo police operate on ethnic, religious or political grounds”.

Any police action is undertaken exclusively on the basis of the law and individual responsibility”, among other things, said in the police response.

Further, The KK says for more than a decade it has guaranteed the safe development of hundreds of religious ceremonies, pilgrimages and activities of the Serbian Orthodox Church throughout the territory of the Republic of Kosovo.

“Every year detailed operational plans for securing these activities are drafted and implemented, in co-operation with representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church, KFOR and other relevant institutions”.

This multi-year co-operation provides concrete evidence of the Kosovo Police's institutional commitment to ensuring free exercise of confidence and protection of the rights of all religious communities”.

The June 28th 2026 ceremony in Gazimestan has also been held on the basis of a special operational plan drafted by Kosovo Police. The ceremony has been held without interference and without obstacles from Kosovo Police. Police actions taken after the end of the ceremony have not been directed towards believers, Serbian identity or religious rites”, police said.

According to this institution, police measures have been taken only against those who have had reasonable doubts about conduct that constituted elements of hatred, provocation, or violation of public order.

Decisions for fines, deportation or detention have not been taken by Kosovo Police, but by competent administrative and judicial bodies based on evidence for each separate case.

Next, the police's full response:

Reaction to Eparchy communiqué Rasa-Prizren

Pristina on July 17, 2026

Kosovo police, with the aim of fair, professional and impartial information of public opinion, dismiss as groundless claims published in the municipality of Eparkia Raska-Prizren, under which Kosovo Police develop an institutional policy of pressure, discrimination or intimidation against members of the Serb community and the Serbian Orthodox Church (KOS).

Such claims do not rely on facts, do not reflect the reality of Kosovo Police activity, and create a false perception of the institution's mandate, composition and operation.

Kosovo police are constitutional and professional institutions, founded on principles of democratic state and rule of law. Police officials from all communities living in the Republic of Kosovo, including the Serb community, who exercise office on the basis of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, the Police Law, the Code of Police Ethics and European standards of law enforcement.

Kosovo Police's own multiethnic composition, civil and institutional surveillance mechanisms, as well as continued co-operation with international security partners, exclude any claim that Kosovo police operate on ethnic, religious or political grounds.

Any police action is undertaken exclusively on the basis of the law and individual responsibility.

Respect and guaranteeing freedom of confidence is one of the basic obligations of the Kosovo Police.

For more than a decade, Kosovo Police have guaranteed the safe development of hundreds of religious ceremonies, pilgrimages and activities of the Serbian Orthodox Church throughout the territory of the Republic of Kosovo.

Every year detailed operational plans for securing these activities are drafted and implemented, in co-operation with representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church, KFOR and other relevant institutions.

This multi-year co-operation provides concrete evidence of the Kosovo Police's institutional commitment to ensuring free exercise of confidence and protection of the rights of all religious communities.

Even the June 28th 2026 ceremony in Gazimestan has been held on the basis of a special operational plan drafted by Kosovo Police.

The ceremony has been held without interference and without obstacles from Kosovo Police.

Police actions taken after the ceremony ended have not been directed towards believers, Serbian identity or religious rites.

Police measures have only been taken against those who have had reasonable doubts about conduct that constituted elements of hatred, provocation, or violating public order.

Decisions for fines, deportation or detention have not been taken by Kosovo Police, but by competent administrative and judicial bodies based on evidence for each separate case.

Protection of cultural and religious heritage constitutes one of the most important responsibilities of the Kosovo Police.

Following the transfer of responsibilities from KFOR, Kosovo Police took responsibility for securing cultural and religious heritage sites, witnessing the professional and institutional capacity in exercising this mandate.

For the implementation of this mission, the Directorate for Security of Cultural Heritage Objects (DSOTK) has been established by Kosovo Police. DSOTK consists of members of all communities living in the Republic of Kosovo, with over 16% of them belonging to the Serb community, while at the helm of DSOTK is the mayor of the Serb community.

Currently, there are 24 Serbian KKF objects provided 24/7 of KPC members. Graveyards of all minorities are monitored on a daily basis by Community Police, and each of them has a separate file that is monitored by community police officers.

As for cases involving KKF objects, the following official data is provided:

During 2024, 53 cases were recorded at the KKF: 34 cases or 64% occurred in Muslim objects, 16 cases or 30% in Orthodox ones, and 3 cases or 6% in Catholic ones.

In 2025, 35 cases were recorded at the KKF: 22 cases or 63% occurred in Muslim objects, 10 cases or 29% in Orthodox ones, and 3 cases or 8% in Catholic ones.

During the January-June 2026 period, 34 cases have been recorded at the KKF: 27 cases or 79% occurred in Muslim objects, 5 cases or 15% in Orthodox ones, and 2 cases or 6% in Catholic ones.

The nature of the cases related to the KSF, in most cases, is related to property (virtuation and heavy theft).

A case in a village in Podujevo is also mentioned in the municipality of Eparchia. In this case, in 21.05.2025, police have initiated the case of inciting division and not enduring it. All actions related to the case have been taken in co-ordination with justice organs. The prosecutor of the case with the ruling releases the suspects in regular procedure and instructs the continuation of investigations into co-ordination with relevant institutions about whose property belongs to the church.

As far as interethnic motives are concerned, these cases are constantly handled with impartiality and professionalism. Such cases have dropped over the years, so in 2023 31 cases have been recorded in 2024, 25 cases have been recorded in 2025.

Kosovo police will continue to provide security for all communities indiscriminately, provide security for KSF objects, and invite citizens, as yet, to co-operate with police in order to preserve and increase overall security in the Republic of Kosovo.