Serbia’s parallel institutions in Kosovo are part of a deliberate strategy by Belgrade to preserve the status quo and prevent the integration of the Serbian community into Kosovo’s institutions, according to Naim Rashiti from the Balkan Policy Group.
Speaking in an interview with Radio Free Europe, Rashiti said that these structures are not accidental but rather part of a planned political approach aimed at maintaining Serbia’s influence among Kosovo Serbs.
“This is a planned and deliberate effort by Belgrade to maintain the status quo for Serbs in Kosovo. In other words, it is an attempt to prevent their integration into Kosovo’s society and institutional system,” Rashiti said.
His comments were made during Radio Free Europe’s program “Uvid”, where the functioning of Serbian parallel institutions in Kosovo was discussed following revelations involving Serbian Minister of Local Self-Government Snežana Paunović.
According to an investigation by Radio Free Europe, Paunović continued receiving a salary as acting director of the Pharmaceutical Institution of Peja until April 2025, despite the institution having been dissolved by a decision of the Government of Serbia in October 2021. Documents show that Paunović herself had requested the institution’s deregistration, but later claimed in the Serbian Parliament that such a decision did not exist.
During the same discussion, Rada Trajković from the European Movement of Serbs of Kosovo said that many Serbian citizens continue to rely on structures financed by Serbia.
“They increasingly trust informal groups and individuals whom they believe can protect them,” Trajković said.
Rashiti stressed that the issue goes beyond parallel structures and also concerns the use of public funds for political purposes.
“Today, money is being used to buy political support ahead of elections. The Serbian system has been doing this for a long time,” she stated.
