28. Jun today became the first Serbian humanitarian organization to circumnavigate the blockade imposed by Kosovo authorities on food imports from Serbia. A truck filled with emergency food supplies sent by 28. Jun’s branch in Montenegro arrived to Kosovo today, where it was received by local 28. Jun members who immediately began to give out the goods. 20 pallets of flour, cooking oil, canned food and vegetables were distributed to Serbian food banks and kindergartens ravaged by the blockade. Humanitarian foundation ‘Covekoljublje’ of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro of the Serbian Orthodox Church assisted with the delivery and 28. Jun’s Special Consultative Status with the the UN was utilized to pressure the Kosovo authorities.

A second, 40-foot, 8-ton container filled with medical equipment and supplies worth over $700,000, sent by the organization from Louisville, Kentucky, is expected to arrive to Serbia within the next few days. Shipments of Christmas gifts from 28. Jun teams in Switzerland, Germany and Austria have also reached their destinations and distribution has begun. 28. Jun estimates it will donate $1 M in aid during the Holiday season. On the policy front, 28. Jun delegates gave speeches at the UN three times in the past month, at the UN Headquarters in New York, Vienna and Geneva, about the escalating humanitarian situation in Kosovo and submitted a petition signed by 150,000 people calling for the protection of Serbian cultural heritage in KiM.

28. Jun’s delegation saw part of their speech about the escalating humanitarian situation in Kosovo cut short at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna on Friday. Tamara Pavlovic and Mia Milanovic were scheduled to address the UN’s Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on behalf of the humanitarian organization. After much delays, Ms. Milanovic managed to deliver her speech despite interruptions by the chair. However, Ms. Pavlovic had her microphone abruptly cut off one minute into her speech as she elaborated on the injustices endured by Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija.

After briefly touching on resolution number 1244 of the UN Security Council which cemented Kosovo and Metohija as part of the Republic of Serbia, Ms. Pavlovic continued: “To date, no one has been held accountable for the shameless and unfortunate desecration of the Serbian cultural identity, murder of Serbian children, women and men, including politician Oliver Ivanovic, and as a result crimes against the Serbian minority continue to become considerably worse.” She barely managed to complete the last sentence before the camera was switched off of her and her microphone was cut by the presiding chair.

Luckily, Ms. Milanovic was able to deliver several points stating: “Today I would like to bring your attention to the pending humanitarian catastrophe in the province at this very moment. At the administrative crossing between Kosovo and Serbia, taxes on imported goods have been raised 100%. This means that crucial supplies from Serbia, which support food banks and hospitals, are running out fast.” She concluded by warning the commission that the territory “continues to descend into a bastion of drugs and crime” and that “even in war zones urgent humanitarian aid passes more freely than it does in Kosovo today.”

Last week, 28. Jun members delivered a speech decrying the gross violation of human rights endured by Serbs in Kosovo to the Human Rights Council’s Forum on Minority Issues at the UN in Geneva. At the conclusion of the speech a petition signed by 150,000 people calling for the protection of Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo was submitted to the chairwoman. Despite attempts to silence it, the organization today released a statement saying it will “continue to utilize its Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations to shed light on humanitarian issues in the Western Balkans.