Four criminal prosecutions in Serbia against detained Albanians, but travel through Merdare without major delays

On Monday, July 13, the Merdare border crossing did not show the long lines often seen on weekends. Travelers returning to Kosovo said the waiting times were minimal and trouble-free.

Shpresa Qovanaj, an emigrant, said that during weekends the waiting time can reach up to nine or ten hours, but this time things were faster. “We spent three hours just at the border between Croatia and Serbia,” she added. Arnis Lekaj confirmed that he had seen nothing irregular and no police along the way, while Gazmend Kurta stated that there were no problems at all.

This calm situation contrasts with the appeals of Kosovo institutions, which advise avoiding transit through Serbia due to the risk of arrests.

Serbian authorities have for years detained Kosovo citizens, often on baseless charges of war crimes. Although there are no complete figures for the last two years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora announced that since 2025 four cases have been registered in which criminal proceedings have been initiated against Kosovo citizens.

The most recent case is the arrest of Osman Selmani in Mutivoda. The ministry said it immediately activated diplomatic channels. The Kosovo Liaison Office in Serbia has notified the missions of the Quint countries and the European Union Delegation in Belgrade about this case, requesting their intervention for fair treatment and the release of the detainee.

In communications with international partners, the Ministry has emphasized the need to exert influence over Serbian authorities to ensure respect for the rights of the arrested citizen.