Global Courant 2023-05-27 00:58:08
The first day of work for the mayors of the three northern municipalities was preceded by the resistance of the Serbian community.
When the mayor of the municipality of Zveçan, Ilir Peci, went to enter the building, the security alarm in this municipality went off.
In front of the building, Serbian citizens tried to block the entrance of the mayor into the building. They did it with stones and hard objects, even the crackling of firearms was heard. Because a group of Serbian citizens refused to allow the mayor to enter the municipality, the police used methods to disperse them.
The same situation prevailed in Leposaviq. The citizens gathered and attacked the Kosovo police who accompanied the mayor of this municipality, Lulzim Peci.
There were stone pelting and gun shots in this municipality and the police were forced to use tear gas to disperse the crowd. In the afternoon, the situation calmed down in the three municipalities inhabited by Serbian majority.
The mayors of the municipalities finished their work in the evening hours. Along the road that connects the municipality of Zveçan with that of Leposaviq, KFOR units were added.
The situation created with the acquisition of the facilities by the new mayors of the municipalities has prompted many reactions.
The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, criticized the Kosovo government for forcibly entering municipal buildings in the north of the country and called on Prime Minister Albin Kurti to change course.
Blinken said in a statement that Kosovo’s actions run counter to US and European advice and “have sharply and unnecessarily escalated tensions, undermining our efforts to help normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia and they will have consequences in our bilateral relations with Kosovo”.
The American ambassador in Kosovo, Jeffry Hovenier, stated that “The United States condemns the actions of the Kosovo authorities to enter the municipal buildings in the north of Kosovo. Today’s violent measures must be stopped immediately.”
Even the American Senator, Chris Murphy, who at the beginning of the week was on a visit to Kosovo, stated that he talked on the phone with the senior adviser of the American Department of State, Derek Chollet, about Friday’s developments in the north of Kosovo.
The European Union also condemned the clashes between the police and the Serbs in the north, saying that “everyone must take action to de-escalate the situation and restore calm immediately”.
“The European Union strongly condemns the clashes between the Kosovo Police and the protesters in the north of Kosovo, initiated by the attempt of the newly elected mayors to enter the municipal facilities. We strongly condemn the attacks on the patrols of the EU civilian mission in Kosovo, EULEX. EULEX must be allowed to carry out its mandate peacefully. Everyone should take action to de-escalate the situation and restore calm immediately. The EU will not accept any further unilateral or provocative actions, and maintaining peace and security on the ground must be a priority,” the EU’s response states.
Meanwhile, the Kosovo government says that the elected mayors of the municipalities of Leposaviq, Zubin Potok and Zveçan, inhabited by a majority of Serbs, “have a legal obligation to start work immediately” and that “public institutions have an obligation to ensure the conditions that they to exercise their duties and responsibilities”.
The Kosovo Police issued the official communication about what happened today:
As it was announced through official announcements, today the Kosovo Police (KP), according to the legal and constitutional authorizations, assisted the mayors of the northern municipalities in Zveçan, Leposaviq and Zubin Potok, to exercise their right at work, in official facilities municipal.
The primary goal of the Kosovo Police has been to assist and provide security to the mayors of municipalities, to enable the realization of their legitimate rights in the workplace and to ensure the free movement of all persons without distinction. A significant number of citizens had gathered near the municipal facilities, with the aim of obstructing and not allowing officials to enter the municipal facilities. The Kosovo Police, recognizing the right of citizens to protest and express their grievances in a fair, peaceful and legal manner, has communicated several times with the same and requested the release of access to the facilities, the permission of the mayors to enter workplaces, and not to violate their legitimate rights.
The legal demands of the police officials were not ignored, certain people in the crowd in Zveqan showed violence, threw various strong tools and bombs towards the Police and official vehicles.
In order to prevent the imminent danger to the lives of police officers, the relevant police units in self-defense were forced to respond with their legal means, including tear gas to disperse the crowd, and to enable the mayors to enter the premises municipal. The mayors of the municipalities, after the police actions, have entered the municipal facilities, their workplaces.
As a result of the attacks, five (5) police officials suffered minor bodily injuries, four (4) official vehicles were damaged, one of them was set on fire and the rear was damaged, several civilian vehicles were damaged, including those of journalists, as well as three (3) EULEX cars. Also, in some cases, gunshots were heard in different locations, for which investigations are being carried out in cooperation with the justice bodies. Certain criminal individuals/groups, in addition to attacks on officials and vehicles, have tried to block various roads. with gravel/stones and heavy transport vehicles.
In order to ensure the free movement of people and goods, the Kosovo Police has taken measures to remove them and clean the streets in cooperation and coordination with the competent authorities. The vehicles have left, the roads are free for traffic, while the Kosovo Police has engaged its units for investigations and further police actions.
As in any case, investigations and further police actions will be undertaken in cooperation and coordination with the justice bodies, for the case described as “Violation of the Constitutional Order & Causing General Danger & Damage and Destruction of Property”. The situation has now calmed down, the Kosovo Police will continue its commitment and dedication in providing security to all citizens without distinction, maintaining order and public safety as well as undertaking police measures in order to prevent all criminal activities that may to appear on the spot.
Global Courantl
