U.S. Embassy: Constitution of Kosovo Guarantees Serbs’ Representation in Institutions

Pristina (BETAPHOTO/ANDRIJA IGIC)

The U.S. Embassy in Pristina announced on July 22, commenting on the decision of the acting Kosovo president, Albulene Haxhiu, to grant the request of Kosovo’s council of prosecutors for the dismissal of Serb prosecutors, that the Constitution of Kosovo guarantees that the Serbs are represented in institutions.

In a statement to the portal Gazeta Express, the Embassy said they expected the Kosovo government to make sure that the Serbs have equal opportunities and are able to fully participate in the political and public life of Kosovo. “The Constitution and laws of Kosovo guarantee representation for Kosovo Serbs in the country’s institutions. We expect the Kosovo government to make sure that the Kosovo Serbs have equal opportunities and are able to fully participate in the political and public life of Kosovo. We will continue to advocate this,” stated the spokesperson of the Embassy.

The European Union reacted to the decision of acting president Albulena Haxhiu on July 21, expressing concern over it and over the request of Kosovo’s prosecutorial council. On that day, Haxhiu signed the decrees on the dismissal of seven prosecutors from the Serb community, who resigned in 2022.

A day before that, Kosovo’s prosecutorial council rejected the reversal of the Serb prosecutors’ resignations, who have subsequently asked to have their jobs back. Serb judges, prosecutors and all other representatives in the local institutions in northern Kosovo and in the central administration resigned in 2022, after the dismissal of the director of police for the north region, Nenad Djuric, who has refused to implement the Kosovo government’s decision on banning the use of Serbian vehicle registration plates which have been proclaimed illegal.