Serbian-language media published an article yesterday (December 6) regarding the statements of the head of the Office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia, Petar Petkovic, who claims that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has sent police with long rifles to the facilities of the Zubin Potok municipality in northern Kosovo "to attempt by force to prepare the ground for holding his illegal elections."
Petkovic's claims are that Kurti's goal is to take four Serbian municipalities in northern Kosovo by force and weapons and install Albanian representatives in these illegal and illegitimate elections.
Link to the article published in Serbian-language media:
https://informer.rs/vesti/politika/754494/petar-petkovic-saopstenje-kim
Link to the statement published by the Office for Kosovo:
https://www.kim.gov.rs/v4974.php
Parts of the published statement:
"This is about the most brutal demonstration of force and the causing of new tensions and provocations by Pristina, which, through violence and unilateral measures, is trying to implement its illegal, illegitimate and unilateral measures and cause a new destabilization of the situation on the ground."
"This is what Albin Kurti's so-called democracy and rule of law looks like - while Serbs are banned from participating in elections and referendums, at the same time he is trying to hold elections in the north of the province with long rifles, with weapons and with violence. It is clear that Kurti's goal is to take by force and weapons four Serbian municipalities in the north of Kosovo and Metohija and install Albanian representatives in them in illegal and illegitimate elections."
Petkovic's claims that Prime Minister Kurti has sent the Police to violently create ground for holding elections in the north are tendentious claims and denied by the Kosovo Police. Likewise, the claim that through this action Prime Minister Kurti aims to violently take over the four municipalities in the north and place Albanian representatives at their head is tendentious.
Petkvoq's claims have been denied by the Kosovo Police through a statement posted on its Facebook page. The institution in question has called the publications and writings based on the statement of the Office for Kosovo, more specifically of its chief, untrue and tendentious.
"These statements from the Serbian office are aimed at damaging and creating narratives through which the professionalism, legitimacy and constitutional mission of the KP for law and order throughout the territory of the Republic of Kosovo are attacked." (here)
The Kosovo Police has explained the reason for its presence in the northern municipalities, adding that in accordance with the law they have provided the requested assistance to the state authorities of the CEC.
"Public order police units have assisted Municipal Election Commission officials in the offices of the Municipal Election Commission, which are located in the municipalities of Zubin Potok and Mitrovica North, in order to carry out their legal duties and powers." All police actions were carried out in accordance with the law in providing the requested assistance to the state authorities of the CEC.” (here)
The assistance of CEC officials and the functionalization of the offices of the Municipal Election Commissions in Zubin Potok and Mitrovica by the Kosovo Police was also announced by the Minister of Interior, Xhelal Sveçla.
"The Kosovo Police, after receiving the request of the Central Election Commission, today assisted in the functionalization of the offices of the Municipal Election Commissions in Zubin Potok and North Mitrovica, with the aim of continuing the preparatory process for the extraordinary municipal elections of December 18." (here)
So, as the Kosovo Police announced, its presence in Zubin Potok and north of Mitrovica was to provide assistance and security to CEC officials to hold the elections in accordance with the law, and not, as claimed by the Office for Kosovo, to violently organize the elections in these municipalities.
Analyze:
Serbian-language media have published an article regarding the statements of the head of the Office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia, Petar Petkovic, who claims that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has sent police with long rifles to the facilities of the Zubin Potok municipality in northern Kosovo to violently attempt to prepare the ground for holding elections.
The Kosovo Police has called these claims tendentious and untrue and has clarified that the presence of the Kosovo Police in Zubin Potok and north of Mitrovica was to provide assistance to CEC officials in organizing the elections.
Based on its work methodology, hibrid.info assesses that these claims are unfounded and classified as "misinformation".
Rating:
A “Disinformation” rating is given to media reporting that contains a “mix” of inaccurate sources or even half-truthful content. This rating will also address reports that have incorrect attributions or headlines that do not reflect the text in terms of information accuracy.