FOUR SERBIAN POLICEMEN EXPELLED FROM KOSOVO: Pristina accused them of endangering national security!

Policeman Milan Zlatanović from Veliko Ropotovo was detained yesterday at the Končulj border crossing, and then forbidden to return to the territory of Kosovo, where he has lived since birth. Zlatanović is just one of the Serbs who recently experienced this.

In just a few days, one after another, a total of four Serbs from Kosovo were first detained, had their documents confiscated, and then were expelled to central Serbia.

Expeditiously, and with a ban on returning home for the next five years. Without the right to appeal.

Pristina claims – they endangered national security, working for foreign intelligence services, i.e., Serbia, because they are employed by the Serbian Ministry of Interior. The Kosovo Minister of Internal Affairs, in resignation, referred to this when making this decision.

“We cannot and will not tolerate any form of violation of Kosovo’s national security by anyone. Kosovo is the country of all our citizens and it will not be tolerated for anyone to become an instrument of undermining its statehood,” said Xhelal Sveçla.

If national security is indeed endangered, why haven’t appropriate procedures been initiated, asks political scientist Ognjen Gogić.

He does not understand on what basis they were expelled and notes – this is a precedent in endangering human rights.

“It seems as if the Minister of Internal Affairs interpreted his powers arbitrarily and discretionarily, as if he is the one who can revoke citizenship based on some information,” Gogić stated.

Unilateral moves endanger the process of normalization of relations between the two sides and fuel the fears and distrust of Kosovo Serbs, according to the New Social Initiative.

“Somewhere the goal, I would say, of the Kosovo Government, at least declaratively, was integration, but with such decisions, I think that citizens are somehow pushed away from Kosovo, not closer to it,” Aleksandar Šljuka from the New Social Initiative points out.

And the “deportations” began shortly after the arrest of former KLA member and Kosovo special police officer Arbnor Spahija due to the “Banjska” case.

However, political scientist Ognjen Gogić suspects that it is something bigger than mere retaliation.

“It’s as if a new method of ethnic cleansing is being patented in this way. Because if this passes for them, they can use the same procedure literally against all Serbs in Kosovo,” the political scientist pointed out.

Official Belgrade reacted through the Office for Kosovo and Metohija. They accuse Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti of arbitrarily arresting and expelling Serbs.

“It is unprecedented that before the eyes of the entire international community, Kurti is implementing his fascist policy of persecuting a people and ethnic cleansing Serbs from their homes, and that there is no reaction from those who should guarantee Serbs a peaceful life in Kosovo and Metohija,” the statement said.

The Office added that they provided legal assistance to the expelled and are in direct contact with representatives of the European Union and other international representatives.

Ombudsman Zoran Pašalić also spoke out and condemned the arrests and expulsions.