Serbs warn of deteriorated security in Kosovska Mitrovica

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA Kosovska Mitrovica municipal councilors have assessed that the security situation in the city has deteriorated and that it could get out of control. Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor Krstimir Pantic said that latest events in the multiethnic neighborhood of Brdjani represented an attempt to change the ethnic structure in the city with the use of legal and physical violence. Serbs warn of deteriorated security in Kosovska Mitrovica He added that the events were also aimed at causing conflicts between Serbs and ethnic Albanians for which the Serbs would be blamed and that it would serve as an excuse for the international community’s reaction. A large number of Serbs gathered in Brdjani on Thursday in order to protest against the construction of 172 houses for Albanians who have never lived in this part of the city. The construction was stopped in the meantime and the Serbs left the streets. “Fortunately, the citizens remained calm, they were not provoked and we now therefore have nervous reactions of Albanians and a part of the international community,” Pantic pointed out. He added that Kosovo government official Bajram Rexhepi had tried to give 130 municipal lots for construction of houses for veterans of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in the village of Suvi Do near Kosovska Mitrovica a month earlier. According to him, local residents, both Serbs and Albanians, kept coming to the local self-government and requested that the land not be given to the KLA veterans. “Illegal construction is not allowed because of the fact that there were conflicts before over attempts of Albanians, who did not live there, to build houses but also because Savo Mojsic was killed in that neighborhood last year and his killers still have not been found,” the Kosovska Mitrovica mayor noted. He condemned UNMIK members who “have the executive power but act passively and do not want to prevent the illegal construction”. Pantic repeated that the Serb representatives had informed EULEX that the Albanians did not have construction permits to build houses in Brdjani and asked them to stop the construction. He said at the municipal session that an invitation to a meeting had been sent to EULEX Head Xavier Bout de Marnhac, KFOR Commander Volker Halbauer and UNMIK Chief Farid Zarif. “We have sent a letter to the KFOR commander, EULEX head and UNMIK chief, requesting a joint meeting in order to prevent deterioration of the security situation in the neighborhood of Brdjani in northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica,” Pantic explained. He said that the invitation had been sent with a desire to find a solution for the new situation. Beta Tanjug

Serbs warn of deteriorated security in Kosovska Mitrovica

He added that the events were also aimed at causing conflicts between Serbs and ethnic Albanians for which the Serbs would be blamed and that it would serve as an excuse for the international community’s reaction.

A large number of Serbs gathered in Brđani on Thursday in order to protest against the construction of 172 houses for Albanians who have never lived in this part of the city. The construction was stopped in the meantime and the Serbs left the streets.

“Fortunately, the citizens remained calm, they were not provoked and we now therefore have nervous reactions of Albanians and a part of the international community,” Pantić pointed out.

He added that Kosovo government official Bajram Rexhepi had tried to give 130 municipal lots for construction of houses for veterans of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in the village of Suvi Do near Kosovska Mitrovica a month earlier.

According to him, local residents, both Serbs and Albanians, kept coming to the local self-government and requested that the land not be given to the KLA veterans.

“Illegal construction is not allowed because of the fact that there were conflicts before over attempts of Albanians, who did not live there, to build houses but also because Savo Mojsić was killed in that neighborhood last year and his killers still have not been found,” the Kosovska Mitrovica mayor noted.

He condemned UNMIK members who “have the executive power but act passively and do not want to prevent the illegal construction”.

Pantić repeated that the Serb representatives had informed EULEX that the Albanians did not have construction permits to build houses in Brđani and asked them to stop the construction.

He said at the municipal session that an invitation to a meeting had been sent to EULEX Head Xavier Bout de Marnhac, KFOR Commander Volker Halbauer and UNMIK Chief Farid Zarif.

“We have sent a letter to the KFOR commander, EULEX head and UNMIK chief, requesting a joint meeting in order to prevent deterioration of the security situation in the neighborhood of Brđani in northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica,” Pantić explained.

He said that the invitation had been sent with a desire to find a solution for the new situation.