In a response to Marko Djuric’s opinion related to the situation of the Serbian minority in Kosovo, Mimoza Kusari Lila, the parliamentary group leader of the governing party, Vetëvendosje, shares her disagreements.
No doubt Marko Djuric makes deliberately wrong and misleading assessments on the situation in the Republic of Kosova. No one expects anything different, considering he is an ambassador from Serbia, an autocratic state, that discriminates against minorities in his own country, and is manipulative towards the Serbian minority in Kosova.
The Ambassador of Serbia to the US, judges the institutional reaction in Kosova for the attack in Shtërpce, without taking into consideration the quick police reaction and the condemnation from all political leaders, including the Prime Minister Kurti. Also, he did this after the attacker was surrendered, arrested and taken into custody immediately by the Kosovo Police.
But Djuric forgets that condemning and taking measures toward those who violate freedom of others, is quite an unknown concept to Serbia’s representative, where fighting crime and punishment are not the state’s practice. In Serbia we see the contrary happen, honoring and glorifying criminals is institutionalized practice as proven so far.
Djuric claims that Kosova is trying to “capitalize” on Ukraine, ignoring the tragedy and the fact that the whole world condemns the atrocities committed by Putin. It would have been wiser if he joined the democratic world and called Russia for what it is, a terrorist state.
Of course, he neither has the courage nor the will, same as his boss Vucic, to call Russia and Putin by the name that the whole democratic world calls them, a terrorist country and a criminal President.
On the contrary, yesterday near Sarajevo, Republika Srpska honored the aggressor Vladimir Putin for his “particularly patriotic care and love for the RS and for developing and strengthening cooperation and economic and political relations between the RS and Russia.” During the same event, Milorad Dodik declared “Time has come that All Serbs should live in one country”, while clearly expressing continuous expansionist aims of Serbs towards other countries in Western Balkans.
This event had police parading where the Serbs there glorified their criminal past, the genocide they committed against civilians in Bosnia, and to prove that Serbia backs up criminals in such despicable events, is the fact that the event was attended by the son of President Vucic, son of war criminal Ratko Mladic and the Deputy PM and Foreign Minister of Serbia, Ivica Dacic.
Now imagine Djuric complaining about an isolated event in Kosova, but no word on his bosses attending events where war criminals are glorified and genocide is celebrated.
Does he have the courage to condemn their acts? Of course not.
Does he remember when just last year the Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Nikola Selakovic signed an agreement with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for mutual “consultations” on foreign policy matters ?
Unfortunately, for the entire Western Balkans, Djuric and his country are the last to talk about democracy and human rights. Officially Serbia is the last Western Balkans country on the Democracy index. Serbia repressively violates human rights against minority communities.
Serbia misuses its own minority in Kosova. Never have we heard Djuric or anyone from Serbia’s Government react to dozens of attacks from Serbs gangs in the north in the recent months towards Kosovo Serbs who comply with Kosovo rules.
Serb gangs supported by Belgrade, attacked, intimidated and burned property of Kosovo serbs in municipalities in the north of Kosova, with the sole objective, to prevent them from integrating. These gangs are led by people who are blacklisted by the US treasury, and yet they’re seen standing by Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic. What is Djuric’s reaction to their presence? Has anyone heard him comment on his President’s criminal friends?
Maybe he should first give answers on the above mentioned questions to H.E. Counselor Derek Chollet, before his trip to the region.
Serbia systematically violates human rights of Albanians living in Presevo valley. Denial of the right to education, deregistration, persecution and unsolved murders, are Serbia’s methods against the Albanian minority living in Serbia.
Some of the unsolved murders of Albanians are:
- Nebi Nuhiu, from Presheva, kidnapped and missing since 2000.
- Dashnim Hajrullahu, a child from Presheva, killed in 2005 by the Serbian Army, no case has ever been opened.
- Isuf Azizi, a businessman from Presheva, killed in 2009. There is still no justice for any of the victims.
As the Ambassador to the US, we didn’t hear your reaction to the Rolling Stones article about the former member of Arkan tigers murderer Srđan Golubović, who now works as a DJ entertaining youth in Belgrade. This criminal entertainer has never been sentenced for the crimes he committed in Bosnia and Kosova, even though everything has been documented. On the contrary, the article explained that Arkan tigers who are also war criminals are tied to the political elite in Belgrade and few of them have joined Russia in the fight against Ukraine. Any word from Djuriq on this?
If Serbia is “to seek peace” as Djuric is saying, it should start by first acknowledging its crimes against humanity in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosova and apologize for them.
If Serbia is “to seek peace” as Djuric claims, it should start by first acknowledging its genocide, war crime and crimes against humanity committed in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosova, and also apologize for them. 133,000 civilians were killed during these wars, 20,000 in Croatia, 100,000 in Bosnia and 13,000 in Kosova, including 1,133 children.
If Serbia is “to seek peace” it should sign and implement the most delicate and pressing agreement, that of persons forcibly disappeared during the war.
If Serbia is “to seek peace” it should condemn and arrest all criminals who have ordered and conducted crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide in previous wars in Former Yugoslavia.
If Serbia is “to seek peace,” it should properly align itself with the democratic world and move away from Russia in the unjust and genocidal war in Ukraine.
But Serbia is not seeking peace, Serbia is continuing to protect war criminals, destabilize the neighboring countries, and still seeking territory and control on the affairs of Balkan countries, where Serbia lost all wars and control decades ago!
This is the real face of Serbia!
Mimoza Kusari Lila is the parliamentary group leader of the governing party, Vetëvendosje. This opinion was written as a response to the opinion of Marko Djuric, ambassador of Serbia to the US, written for a portal.
The opinions expressed are those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect the views of BIRN.