Serbia's Parallel Institutions Shut Down in Ten Kosovo Municipalities

 In a coordinated operation involving Kosovo's Ministry of Internal Affairs, Kosovo Police, Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship, and Trade (MINT), and Ministry of Local Government Administration, Serbian parallel institutions in ten municipalities across Kosovo were permanently shut down.

 Serbian Post in the north of Kosovo that served as a parallel institution and received orders from Belgrade

This significant development was announced by Kosovo’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Sveçla, who stated that the operation targeted municipalities in Lipjan, Obiliq, Prishtina, Fushë Kosovë, Vushtrri, Novobërdë, Kamenicë, Viti, Rahovec, and Skenderaj. In addition to closing parallel municipal offices, activities of illegal postal and tax offices linked to Serbia were also terminated.

"Through joint action by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Kosovo Police, MINT, and the Ministry of Local Government Administration, the era of parallel and criminal institutions of Serbia in the Republic of Kosovo comes to an end," Sveçla said.

Sveçla emphasized that Kosovo’s institutions are committed to upholding the Constitution and the rule of law, preventing any parallel or illegal structures from operating in the country.

“This marks the closure of the chapter on Serbia’s illegal and criminal parallel institutions in Kosovo. From Banja to other parts of Kosovo, municipal buildings, post offices, and tax offices that functioned as remnants of these parallel institutions are now permanently closed," Sveçla added.

Kosovo’s Minister of Local Government Administration, Elbert Krasniqi, also commented on the operation, announcing the permanent shutdown of 28 parallel municipalities and five regional offices previously maintained by Serbia.

"From today onward, 28 criminal parallel municipalities of Serbia and their five districts will no longer operate in Kosovo. These parallel institutions have no place in the Republic of Kosovo," Krasniqi stated.

This move is seen as a decisive step toward asserting Kosovo’s sovereignty and eliminating structures viewed as a challenge to its legal and constitutional framework. It underscores the government’s resolve to integrate all areas of Kosovo under its jurisdiction and to end Serbia's influence through unauthorized institutions.

The closure of these institutions has been welcomed by Kosovo's authorities as a significant achievement in ensuring the rule of law across the country, marking what they describe as the end of a long-standing parallel administrative system.