By Agim MUSLIU,
Security Expert and Chairman of the Board of the Institute for Hybrid Warfare Studies “OCTOPUS”
The Serbian government has consistently used Kosovo Serbs as nationalist instruments to maintain political power in Belgrade. Much like Slobodan Milošević, President Aleksandar Vučić has sacrificed the interests of Kosovo Serbs time and again for the sole purpose of protecting his grip on power. In several instances, this has extended to direct violence against Serbs themselves.
One of the most shocking examples was the murder of six young Serbs in the town of Peja on December 14, 1999 – an event known as the “Panda Case.” It has been widely reported and suspected that the Serbian intelligence services carried out this act to spark ethnic hatred among Serbs against Albanians, whom they falsely accused. The second purpose was to manipulate the international community by portraying Kosovo Albanians as aggressors – a narrative that temporarily succeeded.
Today, Vučić faces mounting internal pressure, including mass protests in Belgrade. Rather than address the legitimate concerns of Serbian citizens, he appears to be reviving old tactics: using Kosovo Serbs as a distraction from internal unrest. Through intelligence structures, efforts are reportedly underway to fabricate incidents involving Serbs in Kosovo to divert public anger away from Belgrade and preserve his regime.
A recent example is the arrest of Serbian security officers by Kosovo authorities. Disguised as pilgrims visiting a church in Prizren, they were allegedly involved in intelligence operations. Serbian security services have historically used religious sites as safe havens and bases for covert planning. This tactic was seen again on September 24, 2023, when the Banjska Monastery was used by Milan Radoičić and his armed group during an attempted terrorist attack to annex northern Kosovo. The attack began with the killing of a Kosovo police officer and ended with the deaths of three members of Radoičić’s group in a shootout.
For more than four months, cities across Serbia have seen mass protests, initially triggered by the tragic deaths of several individuals in a structural collapse in Novi Sad. What began as a movement for accountability has grown into a broad revolt against Vučić’s corrupt and authoritarian regime. His increasing alignment with Russia and China has further alienated Serbia from the democratic West, raising concerns about regional and even global security.
In recent days, Kosovo Serbs have been mobilized to march on foot toward Belgrade in a symbolic show of loyalty. Serbian media continues to depict them as victims of the Kosovo government, enhancing their credibility in nationalistic discourse. However, the reality is far more calculated: these individuals are being used to shield Belgrade’s leadership from both domestic and international pressure.
Northern Kosovo has become a safe haven for criminal operations, backed by the Serbian state and masked by political structures such as the “Serb List” – a political party operating in Kosovo that serves as a front for organized crime. The party’s existence offers a veneer of democratic legitimacy that has misled even some Western embassies in Pristina, allowing impunity to persist.
Only the Serbian people can bring true stability to Serbia. They must recognize how the government manipulates the Kosovo issue and exploits Kosovo Serbs for its own political survival. Meanwhile, Kosovo Serbs must understand that their continued role as tools of Belgrade’s regime will not earn them respect or rights within Serbia, where they are still seen as outsiders. Nor will it gain them trust in Kosovo, where integration depends on genuine engagement and independence from political manipulation.
The path forward lies in rejecting instrumentalization and embracing local accountability, inclusion, and democratic values – both in Serbia and in Kosovo.
© 2025 Argumentum
