Kosovo police announced on Monday that they had carried out checks on nine facilities of the Post of Serbia that were operating without a license in northern Kosovo, prompting an angry reaction from Belgrade.
The police said that the operation in the north of Kosovo was carried out at the request of the Regulatory Authority of Electronic and Postal Communications, this institution that is responsible for the regulation and supervision of the provision of postal services in Kosovo.
The police said that materials were confiscated and “by decision of the competent authority, nine post offices were closed, under the suspicion of operating without a license and were not registered in the relevant institutions of Kosovo”.
The Regulatory Authority for Electronic and Postal Communications (ARKEP) said that the postal facilities of Serbia were operating illegally, unregistered and without a license from the relevant institutions.
The Regulatory Authority of Electronic and Postal Communications said that in the past efforts were made to discuss the issue of postal operations within the framework of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue in Brussels. “but as a result of the opposition from the Serbian side, this issue has never been addressed even though it was mentioned in the “Telecommunications Agreement”. According to this authority, the Post of Serbia does not appear to be registered with the Business Registration Agency and has no Business certificate and fiscal number.
The operation provoked harsh reactions from the authorities in Serbia and the political representatives of the Serbs in Kosovo.
The office for Kosovo in the government of Serbia said that with the recent actions in the north of Kosovo, the government of Albin Kurti is aiming to provoke a conflict.
“His bandits unilaterally and contrary to all agreements, occupied the premises of the Post Office in Leposavic, North Mitrovica, Zveçan and Zubin Potok. It is about a new crisis led by Albin Kurti, who in this way wants to expel all Serbs from Kosovo, denying them all basic human rights and intimidating them.”while accusing Pristina of actions contrary to the 2015 telecommunications agreement, according to which postal service issues will be resolved exclusively through dialogue.
Lista Serbe, the main subject of Kosovo Serbs, said that the removal of postal services after the removal of the dinar is the most serious blow to the functioning of Serbian institutions and the provision of services to citizens in these areas.
“Once again we call on the international community to act urgently and stop (Albin) Kurti from trying to expel Serbs from their hearths, because it is their duty to protect all citizens, including Serbs, and not allow regional instability” , it is said in the reaction of this party.
The Post of Serbia in Kosovo performs postal services and various payments for Serbs that are financed by the official Belgrade.
With the entry into force of the Central Bank of Kosovo regulation, according to which the euro is the only currency that can be used for cash payments in Kosovo, these payments have become more difficult, prompting an angry reaction from Belgrade, and concerns of Western diplomacy about the impact her in the life of Kosovo Serbs, who continue to be financially supported by Serbia.
