The deputy director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Igor Popović, has pleaded guilty to the criminal offense of “incitement to discord and intolerance,” the Kosovo Special Prosecution announced. At the same time, an indictment has been filed against Popović, which has been submitted to the Basic Court in Pristina, along with the plea agreement, Kossev reports.
Popović was arrested in early July at the Brnjak administrative crossing, after giving a speech in Velika Hoča on the same day in which he, among other things, called members of the KLA “terrorists,” Kossev writes.
Kosovo authorities then stated that these were “incendiary statements.”
A month later, the Kosovo Special Prosecution today filed an indictment against Popović.
“The accused I.P. is charged with publicly inciting and spreading hatred and intolerance between ethnic groups with intent and purpose, on July 18, 2025, around 12:00 p.m., in Orahovac,” they state today.
The indictment states that on that day, Popović gave a public speech to a large number of citizens, using, as is claimed, “inflammatory and hate-filled speech,” in which he said:
“…Serbs suffered here in the region of Orahovac, Metohija, Kosovo and Metohija, because they are indigenous and have roots here, and they do not allow someone to declare them occupiers, newcomers and expel them from here, by the KLA – a terrorist organization,” and then continued with calls to the citizens, stating:
“It remains for us to be proud of the courage of the victims and the remaining brothers here and to strive for Velika Hoča and Orahovac to remain Serbian…”.
According to the prosecution, with these actions, Popović “incited and deepened mistrust and intolerance towards ethnic diversity in Kosovo, as well as disturbed the coexistence between Serbs and Albanians.”
At the same time, Popović, as stated, pleaded guilty to the criminal offense he is charged with.
“Based on this, the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo, along with the indictment, also submitted a plea agreement to the Basic Court in Pristina.”
Source: N1; Photo: Kancelarija za KiM