Wrote: Festim Rizanaj
The Serbian-language information portal, "Kosovo-online.com", through cartoons reveals editorial positions related to developments.
On 13.10.2024, “Kosovo-online.com” published a cartoon in which the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, two people with Serbian passports in their hands, a laurel wreath and behind it a sign with the EU flag appear.
This cartoon was published on the day when Serbia’s Ambassador to the European Union, Danijel Apostolović, said that “as of this Sunday (October 13, 2024) Kosovo Serbs holding Serbian passports issued by the Coordination Office of the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs will be able to travel to EU countries” without visas. (here)
The content of the cartoon on the portal in question conveys the message that the Kosovo Government is allegedly expelling Serbs from Kosovo, which coincides with the Serbian narrative of ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Serbs.
The protagonist of the cartoon is considered Kurti, who is seen pushing two citizens, who can be identified as Serbs based on the traditional Serbian hats, known as Shakaca, who are holding passports with the symbols of the Republic of Serbia in their hands. These two Serbs are pushed towards a laurel, behind which stands a sign with the EU flag.
The cartoon aims to build a narrative that Prime Minister Kurti, by taking advantage of the visa-free movement of Kosovo Serbs to the EU starting on October 13, will use it as an opportunity for ethnic cleansing.
Context of the event and official reactions
In July, the Council of the European Union decided to liberalize visas for Kosovo Serbs holding passports issued by the Coordination Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia. The news was made public through a press release from the Council of the EU. (here)
The Kosovo government had stated that the European Commission had not consulted it on the proposal to lift visas for Serbs with Serbian passports living in Kosovo, calling this action an "unacceptable violation of sovereignty" and asking the EU to treat those passports as illegal. (here)
The Presidency of the Republic of Kosovo has emphasized that the legitimization of these illegal passports by the EU undermines the integration process of the Serbian community in Kosovo (here), especially in a period when “many Serbian citizens in Kosovo are being provided with passports of the Republic of Kosovo”. (here)
On the other hand, Belgrade has welcomed the decision on freedom of movement for Kosovo Serb citizens with Serbian passports.
The head of the Office for Kosovo in the Serbian government, Petar Petkovic, has described this as good news and the result of Serbia's diplomatic struggle to eliminate injustice and discrimination. (here)
Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric praised the EU Council’s decision to lift visa requirements for Serbian passport holders in Kosovo as “a small but important victory for the rights of Serbs in Kosovo.” He welcomed the decision on his profile on the social network X. (here)
Serbian NGOs had supported the initiative to abolish visas for Kosovo citizens with Serbian passports. (here)
Therefore, based on the official reactions from both sides, with Kosovo opposing the decision and Serbia hailing it as good news, the caricatured claim that Prime Minister Kurti is using this decision for ethnic cleansing of Serbs from Kosovo cannot be supported.