Fact-finding Mission to Kosovo

The Pupin Initiative’s fact-finding mission in Kosovo has investigated the status of Serb population in Northern Kosovo, noting severe challenges to the rights and freedoms of the Serbian community, particularly regarding police harassment, institutional exclusion, and cultural suppression. 

The mission consisted of both Serbian and American citizens, they met with the head of the significant Visoki Dečani monastery, political leaders, representatives of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce and AmCham, business people, regular citizens, civil society members.

Serbian Orthodox monasteries and churches face illegal expropriation, bureaucratic hurdles, and restrictions on basic maintenance and restoration work. For example, in the Church of St. Nicholas in Prizren, workers attempting repairs faced threats of arrest by Kosovo police.

Despite International agreements like the Brussels Agreement that require integration, Serbs are often sidelined in local governance, even in areas where they constitute a significant portion of the population. This exclusion has fostered a hostile environment, prompting the resignation of Serb officers and further widening the gap between communities. Serbs are systematically excluded from decision-making processes that directly affect their lives, creating a sense of marginalization and alienation.

Attacks on Serbian culture and identity are widespread. Serbian textbooks must be smuggled into Kosovo, and those caught face arrest for allegedly spreading hate. Restrictions on Serbian cultural and sports events further alienate the community, while Serbian cemeteries in southern Kosovo are frequently vandalized. Serbian national symbols are often removed or defaced, while symbols of Albania are often more visible than those of Kosovo.

A significant police presence in Serb-majority areas contributes to an atmosphere of fear, with reports of aggressive actions by special units, including arbitrary searches, detentions, and property destruction. Health inspections at Serbian establishments are often conducted by heavily armed units, which intimidates rather than ensures public safety. Surveillance measures, such as CCTV installations and numerous checkpoints, are seen as means of monitoring the Serb community.

Institutional exclusion extends to basic services, with excessive bureaucracy actively obstructing access. The refusal to cooperate with Serbian postal services has halted postal operations for Serbs, while the closure of Serbian banks without alternatives has severely impacted business and personal finances. High utility charges, sometimes retroactively billed with unrealistic figures, further burden Serb families.

Harassment exacerbates the atmosphere of fear, with Serbs frequently facing verbal and physical aggression in public spaces. Property rights violations are rampant, with Serb-owned real estate often expropriated without proper legal process or compensation, frequently repurposed for government projects. Targeted economic measures, such as banning Serbian goods, have stifled businesses in Serb-majority areas, forcing many to shut down and driving economic activity to Serbian towns.

The broader economic impact of the Kosovo government's actions affects both Serbs and Albanians, contributing to inflation and emigration. Serbs perceive these measures as attempts to force them out of Kosovo, as interactions with institutions are made deliberately difficult, while Albanians receive assistance to move into Serb-majority areas. The Pupin Initiative’s findings paint a stark picture of systemic discrimination tha