Fresh trouble in K. Mitrovica settlement

The settlement of Brdjani in northern Kosovska Mitrovica saw new clashes between ethnic Albanians and Serbs this morning. Two Serbs and five ethnic Albanians have been lightly injured, according to police reports. Fresh trouble in K. Mitrovica settlement Kosovo police, KPS, announced that "an explosive device was thrown" this morning in Brdjani, and that "firearms were also used". Earlier today, reports from the town said that Serbs and Albanians pelted stones at each other immediately after renovations of burned Albanian houses started. Several hundred Serbs gathered to protest because the houses were being renovated without the consent of Serbs, and because "Albanian houses get rebuilt much more". This, according to the protestors, breaches an agreement reached earlier to renovate five houses per each ethnicity. EULEX police, who are securing the area along with Kosovo police, KPS, fired tear gas and stun grenades at the Serbs. The clashes stopped after that, but the Serbs are still gathered close to the houses, which the ethnic Albanians continued to work on. There was disturbance in Brdjani on an almost daily basis in April and May, and was at the time resolved with an agreement that allowed Serbs to reconstruct their houses in the area as well. "Provocation" Chief of the Kosovo-Mitrovica District Radenko Nedeljkovic said that the conflict between residents of Brdjani is part of a “scenario which comes from the Albanian side and is supported by the international community”. “This is a provocation by the Albanians with the goal of stopping work on the construction of Serbian homes in this part of the community. The UNMIK administrator for northern Kosovska Mitrovica Jaroslav Kozak passed a decision calling on the Albanian side to respect certain legal procedures, however, we see that the Albanians do not respect them,” Nedeljkovic said. “This decision it clearly states that the Albanian side must give proof of ownership, gather documentation and have approval that will be evaluated for security before passing a decision on the reconstruction of homes and the cleaning of the area. However, the estimates of northern police stations are not being taken into consideration and this is legal violence against Serbs in Brdjani,” he said. Nedeljkovic concluded that this is an “adventure of the president of the southern municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica, Bajram Rexhepi, before the coming November elections”.

Fresh trouble in K. Mitrovica settlement

Kosovo police, KPS, announced that "an explosive device was thrown" this morning in Brđani, and that "firearms were also used".

Earlier today, reports from the town said that Serbs and Albanians pelted stones at each other immediately after renovations of burned Albanian houses started.

Several hundred Serbs gathered to protest because the houses were being renovated without the consent of Serbs, and because "Albanian houses get rebuilt much more".

This, according to the protestors, breaches an agreement reached earlier to renovate five houses per each ethnicity.

EULEX police, who are securing the area along with Kosovo police, KPS, fired tear gas and stun grenades at the Serbs.

The clashes stopped after that, but the Serbs are still gathered close to the houses, which the ethnic Albanians continued to work on.

There was disturbance in Brđani on an almost daily basis in April and May, and was at the time resolved with an agreement that allowed Serbs to reconstruct their houses in the area as well.

"Provocation"

Chief of the Kosovo-Mitrovica District Radenko Nedeljković said that the conflict between residents of Brđani is part of a “scenario which comes from the Albanian side and is supported by the international community”.

“This is a provocation by the Albanians with the goal of stopping work on the construction of Serbian homes in this part of the community. The UNMIK administrator for northern Kosovska Mitrovica Jaroslav Kozak passed a decision calling on the Albanian side to respect certain legal procedures, however, we see that the Albanians do not respect them,” Nedeljković said.

“This decision it clearly states that the Albanian side must give proof of ownership, gather documentation and have approval that will be evaluated for security before passing a decision on the reconstruction of homes and the cleaning of the area. However, the estimates of northern police stations are not being taken into consideration and this is legal violence against Serbs in Brđani,” he said.

Nedeljković concluded that this is an “adventure of the president of the southern municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica, Bajram Rexhepi, before the coming November elections”.