Anniversary of anti-Serb violence in Kosovo

Today marks seven years since the pogrom of Serbs in Kosovo, who were subjected to attacks by ethnic Albanians. It was the worst outbreak of violence since the 1999 war and the arrival of international forces. Anniversary of anti-Serb violence in Kosovo 19 people died, while several thousand Serbs were forced out of their homes. At the same time, 800 houses and 35 Orthodox Christian churches and monasteries were either destroyed or damaged. The violence broke out in southern part of the ethnically divided town of Kosovska Mitrovica and soon spread across the province, when bodies of two ethnic Albanian boys who drowned in the Ibar river were discovered. Albanians blamed Serbs for their deaths. Some 250 persons were held in detention accused of taking part in anti-Serb violence, with six ethnic Albanians from Gnjilane charged in September 2004, and sentenced to a total of 38 years in prison the next year. As Albanians rioted against Serbs in Kosovo, protests took place in several central Serbian towns, when mosques were set on fire in Nis and Belgrade. Serbs in Kosovo intend to mark the 7th anniversary of the pogrom "modestly", according to announcements, with a service in St. Nicholas' Church in Pristina, which was among the destroyed holy places. One of the churches that came under attack (Beta, file) EULEX dropped most indictments EULEX spokeswoman Irina Gudeljevic told Tanjug, on the seventh anniversary of the March 17, 2004 violence that the the EU mission prosecutor in Pristina has dropped six out of the seven cases related to the events, while the indictment was confirmed in only one case. "The main trial has started in the case in which the indictment was confirmed. One trial was completed before the Prizren District Court, and the accused was found guilty," Gudeljevic said without revealing more details.

Anniversary of anti-Serb violence in Kosovo

19 people died, while several thousand Serbs were forced out of their homes. At the same time, 800 houses and 35 Orthodox Christian churches and monasteries were either destroyed or damaged.

The violence broke out in southern part of the ethnically divided town of Kosovska Mitrovica and soon spread across the province, when bodies of two ethnic Albanian boys who drowned in the Ibar river were discovered. Albanians blamed Serbs for their deaths.

Some 250 persons were held in detention accused of taking part in anti-Serb violence, with six ethnic Albanians from Gnjilane charged in September 2004, and sentenced to a total of 38 years in prison the next year.

As Albanians rioted against Serbs in Kosovo, protests took place in several central Serbian towns, when mosques were set on fire in Niš and Belgrade.

Serbs in Kosovo intend to mark the 7th anniversary of the pogrom "modestly", according to announcements, with a service in St. Nicholas' Church in Priština, which was among the destroyed holy places.

EULEX dropped most indictments

EULEX spokeswoman Irina Gudeljevic told Tanjug, on the seventh anniversary of the March 17, 2004 violence that the the EU mission prosecutor in Priština has dropped six out of the seven cases related to the events, while the indictment was confirmed in only one case.

"The main trial has started in the case in which the indictment was confirmed. One trial was completed before the Prizren District Court, and the accused was found guilty," Gudeljevic said without revealing more details.