Political and institutional representatives of Kosovo Serbs from the Serbian List on Thursday adopted a declaration outlining six demands ahead of the full implementation of Kosovo’s Law on Foreigners and the Vehicle Registration Law, officials said.
The declaration calls for legal, administrative, and other measures to ensure that Serbs living in Kosovo can obtain personal documents and exercise their civil, human, and property rights without obstacles. It also seeks unrestricted access for Serb students and healthcare workers to education and medical facilities during their work or study periods.
“We demand that all citizens are guaranteed the right to peaceful and unhindered use of movable and immovable property, as well as the use of vehicles, without discrimination or legal uncertainty,” the declaration said.
Serb leaders also rejected any action that could disrupt the functioning of Serbian-language healthcare and educational institutions, urging that any issues be resolved exclusively through dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, including the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO).
The declaration emphasized that unilateral measures or aggressive enforcement of the new laws without adjustments would constitute an administrative attack on the Serb population, threatening fundamental rights, including access to education, healthcare, and property.
“Thousands of Serb families would be affected. Children separated from parents, patients from doctors, students without adequate education, and clergy without congregations,” it said, warning that the multiethnic character of the region would remain only on paper.
The statement also called on international organizations active in Kosovo – including UNMIK, KFOR, EULEX, and the OSCE – to take proactive steps to protect the rights of Kosovo Serbs and demanded the inclusion of legitimate Serb representatives in all discussions related to the laws.
Kosovo authorities plan to implement the Law on Foreigners and the Vehicle Registration Law in full on March 15. The Law on Foreigners requires all residents without Kosovo citizenship or identification documents to register their presence with the Kosovo police. The Vehicle Registration Law restricts drivers from operating vehicles registered outside Kosovo without a local residence, a measure that could particularly impact Serbs holding vehicles registered in central Serbia.
Earlier opposition proposals for a similar declaration were rejected by the Serbian List in local assembly sessions on January 30.