Loncar: Pristina's raid of K Mitrovica hospital attempt to cause humanitarian disaster

BELGRADE - Serbian Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar said late Thursday's "bandit raid" of the Kosovska Mitrovica clinical hospital and health centre by the so-called "Kosovo Police" on orders from Pristina's PM Albin Kurti was an attempt to cause a humanitarian disaster.

Loncar said he had informed European Health Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi and WHO Europe Director Hans Kluge of Kurti's violent actions and an attempt to shake the Serbian health care system and take control of it "with long guns".

The raid is a red line Pristina wants to cross, he said.

"Let me make this completely clear: the health care system in Kosovo-Metohija operates within the system of the Republic of Serbia and is in line with the signed and valid Brussels agreements from 2013 and 2015, guaranteed by the EU, so there is no foundation whatsoever for Kurti's dirty intent to take our health care institutions away. I want to tell our doctors, medical and non-medical staff that we will not let anyone jeopardise their jobs and livelihoods," Loncar said.

Considering the difficult conditions on the ground, Serbian health care institutions in Kosovo-Metohija are operating flawlessly, providing medical services to Serbs and ethnic Albanians alike, he said.