Dear Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Dear citizens,
Eighteen days have passed since the paramilitary, terrorist and criminal attack of September 24th. Much is different from that Sunday. Everything would be different if the terrorist group and their plans to annex four municipalities in the north of the country were not neutralized in the first act.
They failed. And this has made them very desperate.
The involvement of at least four layers of the Serbian state, namely, the Presidency, the Intelligence Service, the Ministry of Defense and the Serbian army in inspiring, preparing, supplying and participating in the terrorist attack in the village of Banjska has been documented before the eyes of the world, and this has become additional motives for other destabilizing scenarios.
The release of Milan Radoičić, less than 24 hours after his arrest, is evidence and a signal of the potential for regrouping and revenge, because on September 24th, official and military Belgrade failed.
Our security and intelligence institutions have recently noticed an increasing risk of staging violent attacks by groups of Serbian criminal structures in Kosova.
Their main goal is to blame the Kosova Police and present it as an oppressive force on the Kosova Serbs. To achieve this, they have not set a ceiling price. They will not choose means. Unfortunately, the support that the terrorist group has received from Serbia, on the one hand by treating them as heroes and martyrs, and on the other hand, by intensifying the activities of the army along the border with our Republic, has only encouraged it.
They tried to change the reality on the ground through organized and coordinated paramilitary actions. They did not succeed.
They misused the Banjska Monastery with the aim of giving a religious connotation to the events of September 24th. They failed again.
Now, criminal formations sponsored by our northern neighbour are very likely to misuse our ethnic differences for political purposes in their destabilizing scenarios.
Coincidentally, last week marked the 23rd anniversary of the overthrow of the Milosevic regime. And unfortunately, 23 years after October 5th, the current regime of Serbia has never before resembled Milosevic’s Serbia more than today. In viewpoint, goals, behavior, methods and actions.
Therefore, I appeal to you, especially to you dear fellow Serbian citizens, that in the days, weeks and months to come, to be cautious and self-restrained from the staged and malicious acts of violence.
In Kosova, we are all equal citizens because the state is lawful and the society is democratic. There are no undesired communities. Albanians, Serbs, Bosniaks, Turks, Ashkali, Roma, Egyptians, Gorani and everyone else live and work together everywhere in our beloved, peaceful and pro-European Kosova.
Those who want to destroy us, will not succeed. Because we are prepared. Because we are together, with a high motive and noble goals, for peace and security, for rights and democracy.
Kosova is a safe country. According to the Global Organized Crime Index, Kosova has the lowest crime rate among all Western Balkan countries.
Our institutions, especially security institutions, are on top of their duties, serving and protecting all citizens, without discrimination or favoritism. Work and law unite us as a society. Cultural and ethnic diversity enrich us as a country.
I invite you to rely on the Kosova Police. Trust its professionalism.
Report suspicious behavior of individuals in your communities.
Follow the announcements of the institutions through their official channels.
Do not fall prey to unconfirmed reports and disinformation.
Keep calm in any situation.
Thus, dear fellow citizens,
With this appeal, at the same time, I once again express my gratitude to all of you and each of you, for your trust, cooperation, prudence and high civic awareness.
Last modified: October 12, 2023