On the morning of Wednesday, Kosovo Police entered the Serbian Post Office and the parallel municipality of Prishtina, both of which operate in Graçanica, institutions that have functioned under the Serbian system since the post-war period.
A yellow tape was placed in front of the Serbian Post Office building, and journalists from Radio Free Europe reported that police officers are currently inside both of these institutions. Employees of both institutions were seen leaving the premises.
Kosovo Police confirmed operations in several regions, including Prishtina, Gjilan, Gjakova, and Mitrovica e Jugut, but did not provide details about the operations, stating that additional information would be made public once the action is completed.
This move follows a series of operations by Kosovo authorities to close down Serbian institutions operating illegally in Kosovo. On August 5, 2024, branches of the Serbian Post Office in northern Kosovo were shut down, a decision criticized by the EU and the US as unilateral and uncoordinated.
Kosovo began closing Serbian institutions as early as January 2024, starting with the closure of temporary municipal bodies linked to Serbia in the southern part of Kosovo, such as in Dragash, Suharekë, Prizren, and Rahovec. This measure was extended to northern municipalities, including Mitrovica e Veriut, Zveçan, Zubin Potok, and Leposaviq.
Additionally, other branches of Serbian institutions, such as the Tax Administration in Mitrovica e Veriut, the Serbian insurance company Dunav Osiguranje (operating without a license), and other Serbian administrative offices in Kosovo, were closed.
Kosovo’s actions have drawn mixed reactions, with critics accusing the government of lacking coordination with international actors, while supporters see them as necessary steps to strengthen sovereignty.
