The Prime Minister of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti and the EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi, discussed today the entrance of the vaccines from Serbia to the north of Kosovo. According to the office of the Prime Minister Hoti, “the two interlocutors raised concerns about the illegal entry of the Covid-19 vaccine into Kosovo,” adding that the entrance of the vaccines was considered unacceptable since the process was made “without regular procedures for the import or donation of the medicinal products, the origin of which is unknown.” The Prime Minister office confirmed also that the institutions of Kosovo have started to investigate the involvement of different people in this process.
Earlier in the day, the Basic Prosecution of Mitrovica stated to Radio Free Europe that they had started to collect all the necessary information regarding the entrance of the vaccines in Kosovo from Serbia, adding that the possibilities for the entry of the vaccines illegally were numerous. “If we have evidence that they are indeed smuggled (because there must be an authorization to use these vaccines) and if they are illegal, criminal proceedings will be instituted against those who were involved in the process,” said Shyqri Syla, Chief Prosecutor of Mitrovica Basic Prosecution to RFE.
On Christmas day, the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić stated that the vaccination had started in the north of Kosovo: “The vaccination has started in Leposaviq. Today will arrive in Mitrovica,” declared the President. On 26th of December, the government of Kosovo reacted by saying that they didn’t have any official contact with Serbia regarding the vaccination process. A day later, the Minister of the Foreign Affairs of Kosovo Meliza Haradinaj Stublla declared that “Serbia’s illegal and clandestine interference within Kosovo, by smuggling Pharma products without prior approval by authorities, is a grossly flagrant violation of Customs Stamp and Mutual Recognition of Pharma Certificates Agreement reached on 2015 Technical Dialogue in Brussels.”
Today, the President of Serbia discussed again the issue, saying that Serbia will continue to help “its people in Kosovo”, adding that sending vaccines in Kosovo does not constitute a violation of the Brussel’s Agreement. Vučić said also that Serbia is ready to send medicines and vaccines also to Albanians as well, and that “no one should even think of attacking someone who distributed medicine.”
The health system in the Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo operates within the Serb system. According to the Customs and the Border Police of Kosovo, there is no information that COVID-19 vaccines have entered the country.
