Department of State: Serbia to refrain from unilateral actions, arbitrary detentions harm peace and stability

The US State Department called on Serbia to refrain from unilateral and uncoordinated actions and to fully respect the agreements reached within the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, which is conducted through the European Union, regarding the arrest of citizens of Kosovo.

In a response to Radio Free Europe (RSE), the State Department called on the authorities in Serbia to act transparently and with full respect for the rule of law when it comes to detained citizens from Kosovo.

"Arbitrary or unjustifiably long detentions, especially if targeting Kosovo Police officers, will be seen as an escalation of the situation, which harms peace and stability," said an unnamed spokesperson of the US State Department to RFE/RL today.

He said that the arrest cases must be reviewed quickly, and expressed hope that the Kosovo Police officers, who are still in custody in Serbia, will be released.

The answer also states that the agreement on freedom of movement, reached within the framework of the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina, "provides clear parameters for the entry and exit of citizens of Kosovo into and out of Serbia."

According to the Kosovo authorities, on April 17, hundreds of Kosovo citizens were detained and interrogated for no reason, which the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia denied, stating that it was a "regular enhanced control".

In the meantime, it was confirmed that several members of the Kosovo Police were taken into custody, and that the Deputy General Director of the Kosovo Police from the Serbian community, Dejan Janković, was ordered to be detained for 48 hours.