"Current position of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija has never been worse"

"Current position of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija has never been worse"

He said this on the occasion of 15 years of unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, adding that Pristina's policy is aimed at denying those rights that are prescribed in the laws of Kosovo and Metohija.

Jevtić told "RTS" that 15 years after the unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence, Serbs still live isolated in their communities, with great institutional discrimination, with the rights of second-class citizens, even though their rights are guaranteed on paper.

"Everything that has been going on since the moment when Albin Kurti took over the power, is aimed at denying those rights that are in the laws in Kosovo and Metohija," said Jevtić.

He stated that the number of incidents has doubled since Kurti became Prime Minister of the interim Pristina institutions, which describes the attitude of the current authorities in Pristina towards the Serbs.

"At the central level, there are no political representatives of the Serbs, which also speaks of the relations. All this completes the whole picture of the problem in which the Serbs find themselves today and of living in conditions that are unsafe, with very weak economic prospects, and all due to the fact that the current government does everything to humiliate the Serbs and put them in a difficult position," says Jevtić.

He pointed out that there is no alternative to dialogue and that it is necessary to talk in order to avoid conflicts.

"Unfortunately, on the other hand, Kurti and the government in Pristina are not ready for dialogue, because for them, dialogue is something that will deprive them, as they think, of some rights," said Jevtić.

He pointed out that Serbs are subjected to unjust detention, and that those who want to recover their property are accused of alleged war crimes.

"I always insist that a large part of the responsibility lies with the international community, which should not tolerate institutional violence against Serbs at all levels," said Jevtić.

He confirmed that 80 percent of cases of violence against Serbs occur south of the Ibar but pointed out that in Štrpce they do not have a problem with local Albanians, but with those who do not live in that municipality.

"Albanian people accept rhetoric that is very harsh towards Serbs. Serbs are constantly spoken of as criminals," Jevtic emphasized.

When it comes to the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, Jevtić says that the fact is that Washington has finally seen that Kurti is not only unwilling to form CSMs, but is also unwilling to provide any rights to the Serbian people.

"The official Washington's position is that everything should be done to avoid conflict in this part of Europe," Jevtic said, adding that some countries in Europe that are not part of the EU, such as Great Britain, approach the whole situation in a different way.

Jevtic said that in the USA he saw the determination of the official Washington to really approach the problem in a different way this time, adding that he is sure that there are some deadlines and that they are very determined to form the Community of Serbian Municipalities.