Albanians, Serbs protest together in Gnjilane

Villagers from three villages near Gnjilane are protesting, calling for the closure of nearby quarries. Coordinator of the Coordination Center for Gnjilane Municipality Predrag Stojkovic told the Beta news agency that Serb protestors in Koretiste had been joined by Albanians from nearby Straza and Stanisor. Albanians, Serbs protest together in Gnjilane “The united demand of the protesters is that the quarries that are between 200 and 500 meters from the nearest homes be relocated to somewhere further away from village roads, where school buses pass by frequently,” he said. Stojkovic said that the villages were suffering water shortages because of the quarries, and that crops were being polluted and destroyed by the dust. He added that stones had been falling into people’s gardens and damaging their homes. He said that farm workers were at risk because the explosions at the quarry were never announced in advance. “We have asked the OSCE, UNMIK, KFOR and foreign embassies in Pristina for help,” said Stojkovic, adding that if nothing changed by Monday, the protestors would gather in front of the quarry and would not leave until the problem was resolved. He said that Kosovo Police Service officers had been “squaring up to locals,” even though they, KFOR and UNMIK had all been notified of the protest in advance. Today’s protest was also attended by Gnjilane Municipal President Cemalj Mustafa, who said that it had been the Environment and Spatial Planning Ministry in Pristina that had given permission for the opening of these quarries, not the municipality. One of the quarries was opened in 2007, while the other two began working this year.

Albanians, Serbs protest together in Gnjilane

“The united demand of the protesters is that the quarries that are between 200 and 500 meters from the nearest homes be relocated to somewhere further away from village roads, where school buses pass by frequently,” he said.

Stojković said that the villages were suffering water shortages because of the quarries, and that crops were being polluted and destroyed by the dust. He added that stones had been falling into people’s gardens and damaging their homes.

He said that farm workers were at risk because the explosions at the quarry were never announced in advance.

“We have asked the OSCE, UNMIK, KFOR and foreign embassies in Priština for help,” said Stojković, adding that if nothing changed by Monday, the protestors would gather in front of the quarry and would not leave until the problem was resolved.

He said that Kosovo Police Service officers had been “squaring up to locals,” even though they, KFOR and UNMIK had all been notified of the protest in advance.

Today’s protest was also attended by Gnjilane Municipal President Cemalj Mustafa, who said that it had been the Environment and Spatial Planning Ministry in Priština that had given permission for the opening of these quarries, not the municipality.

One of the quarries was opened in 2007, while the other two began working this year.