E fundit!

21:40 DENOUNCEMENT

A year of waiting for a 3 million debt, what happened after the intervention of "Stop"

The next case broadcast on the show "Stop", this Thursday,...

One month detention for seven directors of Serbian institutions in Kosovo

2026-05-21 19:19:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Basic Court in Pristina has ordered a month of detention for seven directors of educational and health institutions, which operate in Kosovo according to the Serbian system, on suspicion of influencing the free will of voters.

According to the announcement, the measure of detention has been assigned to persons with the initials MD, BP, Lj.K., MD, NR, BL and SM, as there is a real risk that the defendants, if released, will escape with the intention of hiding and escaping criminal responsibility. The court said that there is a real risk that if they are released, they will escape with the aim of hiding and escaping criminal responsibility.

The court also said that the defendants could repeat the criminal offenses if released.

Regarding the detention measure imposed by the Basic Court in Pristina, the Minister of Health of the Serbian Government, Zllatibor Loncar, reacted, saying that this decision is politically motivated, and emphasizing that among the seven arrested are three heads of health institutions in central Kosovo.

"I emphasize that the Ministry of Health, together with the state of Serbia, will continue to assist Serbian health institutions in the area of ??Kosovo and Metohija even more resolutely, and that it will especially seek ways to assist affected health institutions," the announcement said.

Meanwhile, the Office for Kosovo in the Serbian Government claimed that the detention measure was imposed "by direct political order" of the acting Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, with the assistance of Raši?.

In response, it was stated that this action is aimed at "hitting Serbian health and education institutions, weakening the Serbian List and intimidating the Serbian population before the start of the election campaign."

Belgrade described it as "unacceptable interference" by Pristina in the Serbian education and health system in Kosovo. Kosovo considers institutions that operate under the Serbian system to be illegal and parallel, and in recent years has closed them, except for educational and health institutions.

The Office for Kosovo in the Serbian Government also said that Belgrade is in constant communication with international representatives, demanding the release of the seven detainees.

The suspects were arrested on May 19 by order of the Basic Prosecution Office, which, as has been announced, reacted ex officio after media reports regarding allegations by the leader of the Party for Freedom, Justice and Survival, Nenad Raši?, that the Serbian List is exerting pressure and blackmailing his supporters.

The prosecution has announced that the arrested persons are suspected of having been involved in illegal activities related to the criminal offense of "Violation of the free determination of voters".

Raši?, who is the acting Minister for Communities and Returns in the Government of Kosovo, initially said on May 14 that around 20 people who support him have made the decision to resign, while in the future it is expected that around 40 more people will make the decision to resign from their jobs in the territory of the Gra?anica municipality alone.

The Serbian List, the main party of Kosovo Serbs that operates with the support of the current government in Serbia, has denied all of Raši?'s accusations and has assessed that he is trying to "excuse" the defeat in the upcoming parliamentary elections, which will be held in June.

The arrests of directors of Serbian education and health institutions by the Serb List on May 20th were described as "politically motivated" and "under the direction of the regime in Pristina".

Meanwhile, in Gracanica, located near Pristina, protests have been held since May 20 in support of the arrested directors.

In the June 7 elections, only the Serbian List and Raši?'s party, the Party for Freedom, Justice and Survival, are participating among Serbian political entities.

Reactions in Kosovo and Serbia to the arrests

The acting Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, described as "alarming" reports of pressure on voters by the Serbian community, emphasizing that this is a phenomenon that, according to him, has reached greater proportions than ever before.

Meanwhile, earlier, the acting Minister of Internal Affairs of Kosovo, Xhelal Sveçla, declared that Kosovo institutions will act "against any attempt to intimidate citizens and deform their political will", guaranteeing a free electoral process free of external influences.

Radio Free Europe (RFE/RL) on May 18 published testimonies of several people who said they were fired because they did not support the Serbian List, but Raši?'s party.

They had worked for decades in Serbia's health and education institutions in Kosovo, which in recent years have been run mainly by members and officials of the Serbian List – the main Serb party in Kosovo that operates with the support of official Belgrade.

On the other hand, Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic warned that all those who, according to him, have contributed to the detention of directors of Serbian health and education institutions in Kosovo will be prosecuted.

"The Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs is determined that all those responsible for this anti-Serbian act will be dealt with the utmost severity, in accordance with the laws of Serbia," Dacic declared.

However, he did not clarify who he was referring to specifically, what laws would be applied, and what "anti-Serb act" he was referring to.

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric also said that Belgrade is closely following the situation and warned of a reaction to what he called human rights violations in Kosovo. /REL