The closure of four Serbian Social Work Centers in the north, the US Embassy in Pristina reacts

Kosovo Police closed the facilities of the Center for Social Work in North Mitrovica on Friday – which operated within the framework of the Serbian parallel system – due to suspicion that "illegal acts related to the electoral process" were carried out there.

This has sparked numerous reactions, including from the United States Embassy.

The US diplomatic mission in Pristina has expressed its concern regarding this decision, describing it as an uncoordinated step, which could have undesirable consequences for Kosovo.

In a statement issued on the social platform X, the embassy emphasizes that such actions could negatively impact not only thousands of Kosovo citizens, but also the country's European future and bilateral relations with international partners.

"The US Embassy is concerned by the sudden and uncoordinated closures of Serbian welfare offices in Kosovo. Such actions negatively impact the lives of thousands of citizens and risk creating serious consequences for Kosovo's European future as well as for our bilateral relations," the embassy's response states.

The European Union has also opposed the closure of these institutions.

The EU said the status of Serbia's facilities in northern Kosovo, which provide social services, should be resolved in dialogue facilitated by the bloc, calling on Pristina not to close these structures.

Read too Footage from the police action in the north - four illegal centers are closed under suspicion that through them citizens were conditioned to vote for a political party

"The European Union is aware of the operation conducted by the Kosovo Police and its rule of law mission in Kosovo, EULEX, is monitoring the situation and Brussels is awaiting "further details to establish the facts," the statement said.

Kosovo Police said in a statement that they had requested permission from the Basic Prosecution Office in Mitrovica to search the premises of the Social Work Centers after four employees of this Center in Zubin Potok were arrested on February 8 for "violating the will of voters."

According to the statement, these officials of "parallel and illegal institutions" are suspected of having called citizens and threatened them, or shown them how to vote, making it conditional on the payment of social assistance.

Kosovo authorities have closed most of the institutions operating within the Serbian system over the past year, arguing that their work is illegal, but official Belgrade has continued to pay them salaries. /Telegraph/

The US Embassy is concerned by the abrupt and uncoordinated closures of Serbia-run welfare offices in Kosovo. These and similar actions negatively impact thousands of Kosovan citizens and risk creating negative consequences for Kosovo's future in Europe and our bilateral...

- US Embassy Pristina (@USEmbPristina) February 23, 2025