Kosovo’s institutions have repeatedly urged members of the diaspora to avoid traveling through Serbia on their way to Kosovo. Despite these warnings, traffic at the Merdare border crossing has increased significantly in recent days.
During a visit to the border crossing, many travelers said they had experienced no problems while passing through Serbia.
“Nothing happened at all. The only issue was that parts of the road were in poor condition. We weren’t stopped or questioned. We traveled from near Dortmund without any problems,” one traveler said.
Another member of the diaspora from Belgium shared a similar experience.
“I’ve been traveling this route for 30 years and I’ve never had any problems. I haven’t seen anything unusual. Maybe it happens to some people, but I’ve never experienced it. Everything has always been fine,” he said.
A third traveler also reported a smooth journey.
“For us everything went perfectly. We crossed without any harassment. There were no major delays or long queues. We had a very easy trip,” he said.
A traveler from Albania, who entered Kosovo on Tuesday after driving from Hanover, Germany, also said the journey through Serbia was uneventful.
“We left yesterday at noon, spent the night in Hungary, and arrived today. Everything at the border crossings went smoothly, including on the Serbian side. We even stopped for coffee at service stations without any issues,” he said.
However, not everyone has had the same experience.
Among the recent cases is Osman Selmani, who was arrested by Serbian authorities despite not being listed as a Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) veteran. Serbia accuses him of involvement in the killing of a Serbian couple in the Sofalia neighborhood of Pristina in June 1999 during the Kosovo war.
Former Kosovo Police commander Refki Morina has once again urged citizens—especially former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA)—to avoid traveling through Serbia.
“I have continuously called on people, particularly those connected to Kosovo’s security institutions or the KLA, to be cautious when traveling through Serbia. Even if they have committed no crime, simply being associated with the KLA in official records could lead to serious consequences, as recent cases have shown,” Morina said.
Lawyer Arianit Koci, who has represented numerous former KLA members detained in Serbia, also raised concerns in a Facebook post. He warned that Serbian authorities are conducting extensive checks on travelers and alleged that, in some cases, individuals have been asked to pay money in exchange for being released.
