Authorities in Kosovo have shut down two clinics operating under the Serbian system in the municipality of Skenderaj, prompting a backlash from the main political party of Serbs in Kosovo, which called for urgent international intervention.
Skenderaj mayor Sami Lushtaku said the facilities in the villages of Banje and Suvo Grlo were closed because they operated illegally under what he described as parallel Serbian structures, outside Kosovo’s constitutional and legal framework.
In a statement, Lushtaku said inspections had found expired medicines, prescriptions issued without doctors present and other violations of health regulations.
“We will not allow anyone to endanger the lives and health of citizens by operating outside the system and laws of Kosovo,” he said, adding that the clinics could reopen once fully integrated into Kosovo’s healthcare system.
The Serb political party Srpska Lista said the closures were carried out on the orders of Kosovo’s Health Ministry and the local authorities, accusing Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s government of undermining access to healthcare for the Serbian community.
The party said the move “directly endangers the right to healthcare of the Serbian people and all citizens who used these services”.
Kosovo’s Health Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kosovo authorities have been shutting down Serbian-run institutions since 2024, arguing they are illegal parallel structures. In recent months, attention has focused on plans to integrate healthcare and education services in Serb-majority areas into Kosovo’s system.
International actors have urged caution. The European Union has said such integration should be carried out in consultation with the Serbian community.
Srpska Lista said it had informed representatives of the European Union, the United States and other international missions, including OSCE, EULEX, KFOR and UNMIK, calling for a swift reaction.
Serbian government officials also condemned the closures. The Office for Kosovo in the Serbian government said more than 250 Serbs in the affected villages had been left without access to medical services.
It also alleged that signage from local schools was removed during the operation.
The head of the Office for Kosovo, Petar Petkovic, said international representatives had been notified of the developments.