Brnabic: German ambassador's statements about removal of barricades are outrageous

Photo: Tanjug/Serbian Government/Slobodan Miljevic

Prime Minister of Serbia Ana Brnabic wrote last evening that the statements of the German ambassador in Pristina, Jorn Rhode, about the removal of the barricades (set up by Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija) are "truly outrageous" and, she added, on so many levels.

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"Firstly, you stated today (Tuesday) that barricades must be removed and even dared to give/order deadlines (by Christmas). Btw, ambassador, please clarify: your Christmas or ours? Just so we know...," she tweeted, referencing the fact that Orthodox Christian Serbs celebrate Christmas on January 7.

"The barricades are there because of (the arrest of) Dejan Pantic. Are you, ambassador, aware that today is the 11th day that his family did not speak to him and that for 11 days no one, including EULEX knows where he actually is? Where else is this actually possible but in (Albin) Kurti's ghetto?," Brnabic continued in a Twitter thread.

She recalled that Rhode also stated that the barricades must be removed because "Christmas is coming."

"I guess you must be worried whether Santa will be able to pass through... Do you think that Serbs on the barricades, asking only for the most basic human rights and rule of law, like to be on the barricades rather than at home during their Slava (family patron saint day celebration in Serbia), New Year or Christmas? Or will you force them out so you can have a peaceful and merry Christmas?," asked the prime minister.

In response to Rhode's statement that the barricades are illegal, Brnabic asked, "is it legal to kidnap people, hold them in an unknown location for 11 days, prevent their family from speaking to them or visiting them?"

Truly outrageous statements by @GermanAmbKOS on so many levels.Firstly, you stated today that barricades must be removed and even dared to give/order deadlines (by Christmas).Btw, Ambassador, please clarify: your Christmas or ours? Just so we know... 1/7— Ana Brnabic (@anabrnabic) December 20, 2022

"Are you not troubled by this? (If not, Santa might not bring you a present!) In summary, you said (more or less) the following: the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 is 'absurd' and 'unacceptable'; Brussels Agreement should be in line with Kosovo* constitution; kidnapping is legal and welcomed (if you are kidnapping Serbs); barricades will prevent Santa from coming to Kosovo*," the Serbian prime minister remarked.

Brnabic also told Rhode that his statements are "as rock solid as Santa is."

"The only problem: this is not funny. Unless you were wrongly interpreted, or had a minor stroke before the interview, they are deeply worrisome as you are explicitly threatening our people - and that is not acceptable," tweeted the Serbian prime minister, adding that the barricades are in place in part because of the arrest of Pantic, and because the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija want the Brussels agreement to be implemented - noting that this is "the 10th Christmas" since 2013 (the signing of the agreement) that they have been waiting for that to happen.

Earlier in the day, Rhode told Pristina's KTV that the barricades in northern Kosovo should be removed "before Christmas" and that Belgrade's request for the return of Serbian forces to Kosovo (in line with UN Resolution 1244) was "absurd and unacceptable."

(Telegraf.rs)