Report on the Pupin Initiative’s Fact-Finding Mission in Kosovo

Report on the Pupin Initiative’s Fact-Finding Mission in Kosovo

Religious freedom under threat: The Visoki Dečani monastery, which holds great cultural and spiritual significance, has faced illegal expropriation, is repeatedly subject to bureaucratic obstructions and lacks the freedom to carry out basic maintenance and restoration works. Similar obstacles are experienced by other Serbian Orthodox churches - for example, church of St. Nicholas in Prizren faced threats of arrest when workers attempted to perform repairs. 

Systemic exclusion from institutional processes: Despite the Brussels Agreement requiring integration, Serbs are often sidelined in local governance, even in areas where they make up a significant portion of the population.  This disproportionate presence has created a hostile environment, leading to the resignation of Serb officers, further widening the gap between the communities. The Kosovo government’s actions disregard the needs and inputs of the Serb community, as seen in the exclusion of Serbs from decision-making processes that directly affect their lives.

Attacks on Serbian culture and identity: Serbian textbooks have to be smuggled into Kosovo, and those caught risk arrest under accusations of spreading hate. Restrictions on Serbian cultural events and sports activities further alienate the community, while Serb cemeteries, particularly in southern Kosovo, have often been vandalized. Serbian national symbols are either forcibly removed by Priština authorities or vandalized, while national symbols of Albania are often more prevalent then Kosovo ones. 

Significant police presence created an atmosphere of fear: The intensified police presence in Serb-majority areas, often described as “occupation-like,” has led to a pervasive atmosphere of fear. Reports of aggressive actions by special units, including arbitrary searches, detentions, and the destruction of property, are frequent. For instance, health inspections at Serbian bars are often carried out by heavily armed units, which intimidates rather than ensures public safety. Furthermore, the Kosovo Police have been involved in numerous instances of excessive force, even directed against the current Serbian Minister of Foreign Relations. Surveillance measures such as CCTV installations in North Mitrovica and numerous police stations and checkpoints are perceived as a means of controlling and monitoring the Serb community.

Institutional exclusion and pressure: Kosovo institutions often fail to provide basic services to Serbs or actively obstruct their access to them through excessive bureaucracy. Kosovo’s refusal to cooperate with Serbian post services has led to a complete halt in postal operations for Serbs. Additionally, the closure of Serbian banks without integrating Serbs into Kosovo’s financial system has severely impacted businesses and personal financial activities. Kosovo authorities have also enforced excessively high utility charges on Serbs, retroactively billing them for decades of unpaid water usage, often with inflated and unrealistic figures that no Serb family could reasonably afford.

Frequent harassment exacerbates the atmosphere of fear: Freedom of movement is constrained by the prevalent atmosphere of fear, with provocative behavior towards Serbs reported in public spaces, including markets and shops. Serbs face frequent verbal and physical harassment, with 80 cases of physical violence against Serbs in 2024 alone, compounding a general sense of insecurity and alienation.

Property rights violations: Serb-owned real estate is often expropriated without proper legal process or compensation. Land is often repurposed for Kosovo police stations or other government projects. Expropriation is not limited to rural areas; in urban settings, Serb-owned apartments and properties are increasingly transferred to Albanian ownership, sometimes under dubious legal circumstances. 

Business community is actively destroyed by Kurti: Business and trade in Serb-majority areas are stifled by targeted economic measures, such as the banning of Serbian goods, which has forced many small businesses to shut down. In North Mitrovica alone, 52 of 254 small businesses have closed, with 48 more expected to follow. Economic strangulation severely undermines local entrepreneurship and drives residents to shop in nearby Serbian towns like Raška, further diminishing local economic activity. The lack of financial services and the refusal of the Kosovo government to issue business permits to Serb entrepreneurs are critical barriers that prevent the Serb community from establishing a sustainable economic presence.

Kosovo economy is impacted by the government's actions, hurting both Serbs and Albanians: Kurti’s refusal to engage in constructive dialogue and his use of populist measures have stymied economic development and led to increased emigration of young people from Kosovo. Trade barriers imposed by his government have contributed to higher inflation rates and increased the cost of living, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable groups within society. 

Silent ethnic transformation of Serb-majority areas: Kosovo Serbs almost universally percieve Kurti’s actions as attempts to force them to leave Kosovo by making their daily lives unbearable. All of their interactions with Kosovo institutions are deliberately made harder, more complicated and expensive while Albanian people receive significant assistance from both Priština and islamic organizations in order to move to Serb-majority areas, acquire real estate and open businesses.