Kosovo police seize cryptocurrency mining machines from Serbs

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Kosovo police confiscated cryptocurrency mining machines Friday in an operation in a northern municipality where Serbs make up the majority of the population.

Economy Minister Artane Rizvanolli said 174 illegal devices were confiscated.

“Failure to pay electricity bills encourages such illegal activities. Therefore, Serbia hinders the implementation of the energy deal. We have fulfilled all our commitments. It's time for the other side to do the same,” Rizvanolli said in announcing the operation in Zubin Potok on social media.

Meanwhile, Blerim Vela, Cabinet Chief of Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, said the Serbian government presented the operation as one against Serbs.

"The Serbian government openly supports criminal activity in northern Kosovo and tries to present it as an attack on local Serbs," said Vela.

Serbia, which views Kosovo as its territory, claims that the operation is another attempt to provoke Serbs to escalate tensions.

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija, a coordination body of the Serbian government, said the raids were aimed at Serbs on a day considered holy for the Serbian Orthodox Church.

The operation was described as a continuation of the harassment of Serbian people.

“It is not by chance that Pristina chose this important Orthodox day to train its muscles and bring unrest and concern among Serbs, and that is precisely in the north of Kosovo and Metohija,” it said in a statement.

- Electricity and water bills not paid since 1999

Kosovo banned the production of cryptocurrencies throughout the country in January 2022 because of the negative effects of conditions created by the global energy crisis.

Citizens from four municipalities in northern Kosovo, mostly populated by Serbs, have not paid their electricity and water bills since the end of the Kosovo War in 1999.

According to reports, the cost of the bills, which are covered by the Kosovo budget, is more than €300 million ($319 million).

Kosovo, predominantly inhabited by ethnic Albanians, broke from Serbia in 1999 and declared independence in 2008. Serbia has not recognized its independence and sees its former province as a part of its territory.