Serbia’s Coordinated Campaign to Demonize Kosovo, Analysts: Belgrade Seeks to Portray the Country as Fragile

In recent days, hostile rhetoric from Belgrade towards Kosovo has escalated through statements by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and the head of the Office for Kosovo, Petar Petković. According to experts, this is a synchronized offensive to damage Kosovo’s image before global opinion, coinciding with the approaching decision of the Special Court regarding former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

A new wave of Serbian propaganda attacks on the international stage seeks to portray Kosovo as an entity that oppresses the rights of the Serb minority. This time, it was Petar Petković, head of the so-called Office for Kosovo within the Serbian Government, who launched a series of accusations against the Kosovo Police, regarding what he labeled as “oppression” during a religious activity in Prizren. Through a post on the X platform, Petković attempted to provoke international reactions against the actions of law enforcement agencies.

Connoisseurs of the political landscape emphasize that the stances of Vučić, Petković, and other leading figures in Belgrade maintain full synchronization, with the primary goal of making Kosovo appear before the world as a country engulfed in instability.

“This entire propaganda effort aims to position Kosovo at a disadvantage in the eyes of the international community; meanwhile, within Serbia, it is orchestrated to gain legitimacy and support from ultranationalist circles that enjoy extraordinary influence. This propaganda demands a structured counter-response from Kosovo, as well as from the United States of America and the European Union,” said Dorajet Imeri, a lecturer in geopolitics.

Meanwhile, the factual situation on the ground refutes this narrative, with data showing that Kosovo practices one of the most progressive models on the continent regarding the preservation of spiritual and cultural heritage. Under specialized security monitoring and plans by the Kosovo Police, around 170 Orthodox religious sites are continuously protected, including 24 churches and monasteries in areas with heightened protection. This contrast, from an analytical perspective, exposes the psychological warfare of official Belgrade to discredit Kosovo’s state institutions and distort international perception.

“In reality, the true oppression of Serbs in Kosovo is being exercised by Serbia itself, which uses them as a tool for its propaganda, keeping them asphyxiated through threats and blackmail, while Kosovo and its state mechanisms protect them. Orthodox churches and properties are guarded without interruption by the Kosovo Police 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, providing security so they are not misused by anyone,” stressed Gurakuq Kuçi from the “Octopus” institute.

This psychological operation is gaining momentum precisely at the moment when the verdict against former KLA commanders in The Hague is awaited, where Russian support for Serbia remains unwavering. In this context, the KLA War Veterans Organization has made public the statements of Russian ambassadors to the United Nations over the years, as evidence of Moscow’s interference with the Special Court to secure their conviction.