Kosovo Authorities Close 4 Illegal Serb Municipalities

Kosovar authorities on Friday closed four parallel Serb municipalities that were operating illegally in Dragash district in the southern city of Prizren, Kosovo's Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla said. 

"Serbia's only institution in the Republic of Kosovo will be its embassy in Pristina", said Sveçla. 

The Minister of Local Government Administration of Kosovo, Elbert Krasniqi, said in a video on Facebook that the parallel municipalities were closed in the village of Vranisht in Dragash, which had operated in a common facility. 

He added that they acted and issued illegal documents to the citizens of Prizren, Suharekë, Rahovec and Dragash municipalities. 

"The activity of the parallel structures of Serbia has come to an end. These objects cannot exist. Their functionality is against the law. Kosovo has municipalities that are responsible for providing services to all citizens and this facility, like other facilities that have operated in Kosovo, are outside the jurisdiction of Kosovo and as such have no place in Kosovo", said Krasniqi. 

Today's decision comes a day after the Kosovar authorities removed a billboard in Zveçan, with pictures of various personalities - including the president of Serbia and that of Russia - on the grounds that symbols of persons who have an aggressive approach to Kosovo will not be allowed. 

"Yesterday in Zveçan and today in Dragash, as we promised, order and law everywhere and in every corner of the Republic of Kosovo", Sveçla wrote on Friday.