The Special Prosecution of Kosovo has announced that it has filed an indictment against Serbian official Igor Popović at the Basic Court in Pristina. Popović, who serves as Assistant Director at the Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo, is being charged with “incitement to division and intolerance.”
.jpg "Kosovo’s Special Prosecution Files Indictment Against Serbian Official for Inciting Ethnic Hatred")
According to the statement issued by the prosecution, Popović has admitted guilt regarding the criminal offense he is being charged with. Based on this admission, the Special Prosecution has also submitted a plea agreement to the Basic Court in Pristina alongside the indictment.
The indictment stems from a public speech delivered by Popović on July 18 in Rahovec, during which he allegedly “intentionally and deliberately incited and publicly spread hatred and intolerance between ethnic groups.”
The prosecution noted that Popović used inflammatory and hateful language in his speech, stating:
“Serbs have suffered here in the Rahovec region, in Metohija, Kosovo and Metohija, because they are natives and have roots here, and they do not allow anyone to label them as occupiers, newcomers, or to expel them from here — by the KLA, a terrorist organization.”
He then went on to make a call to the public, declaring:
“We must be proud of the bravery of the victims and the brothers who remain here, and strive for Hoça e Madhe and Rahovec to remain Serbian.”
The case highlights ongoing tensions and sensitive issues surrounding ethnic relations in Kosovo, especially in areas with a mixed population. If convicted, Popović could face legal consequences for spreading ethnic hatred — an offense considered serious under Kosovo’s penal code.