One of the leaders of the Serbs in Leposavic, Zoran Todic, called on the international community in Kosovo to react urgently and calm the latest tensions in Leposavic following last week’s incidents in front of the municipal building. Deputy Minister of Communities and Returns, Radoica Radomirovic, was spotted leading a group of alleged new employees into this municipal building on several occasions. While Radomirovic claims that he only came to support the employees due to the pressures they are facing from Srpska Lista, Todic recalled the EU’s plan for immediate de-escalation of the situation in which the mayor is called on to move to an alternative location, and the special police to leave the municipal buildings.
„The situation in the municipality of Leposavic is difficult and complex, as in the other three municipalities in the North, because since May 26theverything has stopped and it is increasingly difficult to function, as from that day the employees of the municipal administration of the municipality of Leposavic, as well as other employees from other services, in Zvecan and Zubin Potok as well, do not have access to their workplaces,“ the former mayor of this municipality and the current president of the provisional authority, Zoran Todic, said in a statement for KoSSev.
He recalled that everyone is suffering due to such a situation, both citizens and institutions.
„Public companies and institutions, because we all know the responsibilities and obligations of the employees, whose workplaces in the municipal building, which is currently occupied, are illegally and violently usurped,“ he says.
Tension increases when PR sends officials to the already occupied municipal building
He noted that in Leposavic, unlike other municipalities in the north, the situation is specific and considerably more difficult, since LulzimHetemi has been staying in the municipal premises since May 29. The mayor is a member of Self-Determination and is considered by the local Serbs consider as an illegitimate mayor.
According to Todic, Hetemi has not been living in the building for almost three full months of his own free will.
During that time, Hetemi was praised and visited by the Kosovo central authorities, but the local public has a differing opinion about him.
„I say this because on several occasions there have been provocative visits by officials of the government regime from Pristina to the mayor Leposavic, which caused objections of the citizens, and therefore increased tensions,“ he reminded.
KFOR also interpreted these visits of officials from Pristina to the municipality of Leposavic as provocative.
„We had nice cooperation and mutual understanding with the new situation with KFOR. They repeatedly prohibited and demanded the termination of the visit of these officials of the Pristina authorities, all to calm tensions and maintain peace and security for everyone,“ Todic says.
Municipal building as „military barracks“ or „base“
„From May 26 to today, the municipal building has been resembling a barracks or a military base considering that since May 29, KFOR has deployed its soldiers in front of and around the municipal building, while for all this time, members of the Kosovo Special Police are stationed in the municipal building itself. Since the beginning of the latest crisis caused by the unilateral decisions and actions of the regime from Pristina, we have had sporadic incidents only when officials from Pristina came to visit this illegal and illegitimate mayor. This was met with indignation and objections from the residents of Leposavic municipality. From the first day of the outbreak of this crisis, they have been protesting in a peaceful, democratic, and dignified way, expressing dissatisfaction and opposition to these unilateral decisions and actions of Albin Kurti’s regime, which have turned an open political unresolved issue into a security problem for the population of our municipalities in the north. This is not only witnessed by us who live in these four municipalities and the leadership of the Republic of Serbia, but also the international representatives, ambassadors of the Quint countries, the European Union, KFOR and others saw that there is a danger of security violation, and due to unilateral decisions, actions and the moves of the government regime from Pristina. Both before and after the outbreak of this crisis, they warned the government of Albin Kurti not to make decisions and implement actions that could increase tensions and escalate the already fragile situation in our municipalities.“
Claiming that he personally, as well as the leaders from the north, and Belgrade, are committed to de-escalating the situation, together with the international community, and recalling the first two points of the European plan on de-escalating the crisis in the north, Todic reminded that until last week there were no „new unilateral actions in the form of visits by officials of the Pristina regime“.
It was peaceful until Radomirovic arrived
„It was peaceful until a few days ago, when the members of the mayor’s cabinet were appointed, that is, the supposedly newly employed officials in the municipal building arrived. All this was met with a renewed increase in the dissatisfaction and indignation of the participants of the peaceful protests, who have been protesting for almost three months, and who demand that the situation returns to the state before May 26, that is, that those who are currently using violence in the municipal building, leave the premises, and that all employees who have been working there for years should be allowed access to their workplaces,“ he says.
„Demonstration of force and arrogance of Radoica Radomirovic“
Kosovo Deputy Minister for Communities and Returns, Radoica Radomirovic, visited the mayor of Leposavic, LulzimHetemi, last week, who has been staying in the municipal building in this place since May 26th. However, he was booed by a small group of gathered Serbs, including Todic and the vice-president of Srpska Lista, Slavko Simic.
„Servants of the invaders! Come with us, come here, shame on you! Boo! Shame on you, where are you going?!“ – the gathered citizens shouted at Radomirovic, to which he replied – „Simic, aren’t you ashamed?“. He then began filming the gathered group with his mobile phone, who told him that he should record them and send the video to Kurti.
V.N., one of the participants in the protest, was arrested the next day after Radomirovic filed a report, accusing V.N. of threatening him. V.N. was then sentenced to 48-hour detention, followed by a month-long detention. In the meantime, a video showing Radomirovic hurling serious accusations at Todic, while filming him, has gone viral on social networks. He then repeated the same accusations in an interview with our portal.
This is another political verdict, no doubt – reads Todic’s comment on the detention of his fellow citizen.
„Apprehension, 48-hour police detention and 30-day pretrial detention the day before yesterday of N.V. from Lesak has only one goal, and that is additional pressure and intimidation of all those who are fighting for their rights at protests, with the ultimate goal of expelling the Serbian people from Kosovo. Simply because he peacefully protested and objected to the presence of Radomirovic, without evidence, and after Radomirovic filed a report, he is now in custody,“ says Todic.
On the other hand, he described V.N.’s detention as „another proof“ that Radomirovic is protected by the Prime Minister of Kosovo, and even that “he has greater powers than Kurti himself.”
„Radomirovic is the one who demonstrates force, arrogance and provokes workers who are peacefully protesting. Therefore, he can call the police, which then arrest people. As we have seen, if someone speaks to him, that person is then sent to the casemate. It can be concluded that he has more powers than any Albanian, he was given more powers than Kurti himself, who was recently physically attacked in the assembly hall, without repercussions.“
We all know that N. is in prison for no reason, without evidence, just because he peacefully protested. He is an honorable Serb, and he is not ashamed of it. Justice will prevail in the end, God sees everything
Todic confirmed that he personally, as well as Srpska Lista, along with Belgrade, provided the necessary help to the family of the arrested Serb, and V.N.
Everything Radomirovic said is „a lie from beginning to end“
Todic prove reluctant to comment on Radomirovic’s role. He described him as a „pathological liar“, who – while „unprovoked” – presented a series of untruths and serious accusations against Todic and his family, associates and SL.
Kurti acts through Radomirovic
„Namely, instead of taking concrete steps and moves to de-escalate the latest in a series of crisis situations, the regime of Albin Kurti, through its henchman and envoy Radoica Radomirovic, is once again causing tensions and acting absolutely contrary to the demands and interests of the Serb people who are protesting, as well as regarding the request of the European Union and other international factors to de-escalate the situation,“ Todic said in a written response to KoSSev.
In a statement for KoSSev and the viral video, Radomirovic made serious accusations against Todic, whom he accused, along with Srpska Lista, of nepotism, corruption, and criminal activities…
Todic, however, denied all these allegations.
Everything he said in that video from beginning to end is a lie and untruth
In response, Todic accused this new Pristina official of working on creating discord among the Serbs, causing additional tensions through the spread of disinformation.
He underlined that Radomirovic was appointed to his new position only one day before the crisis in the north broke out.
„He was tasked with causing discord, appointed to duty the day before the outbreak of the crisis“.
Abuse of someone else’s misfortune
At the comment that Radomirovic said that his visits to the municipality of Leposavic last week were aimed at „encouraging“ new workers, who until now had no opportunity to get a job, because of the pressure they allegedly suffer from Serbian structures, Todic says that this is not true, noting that Radomirovic is the one who is abusing that group of newly employed people, taking advantage of their difficult financial situation.
„I am aware and know that having a job is one of the prerequisites for a normal life. In addition to all the problems, difficulties, uncertainties, challenges, and pressures that the Serbian people in Kosovo have been facing for more than 23 years, which affects us all together, I can only say that some things must be above personal interest. Unfortunately, the person in question takes advantage of someone’s difficult financial situation and, as he says, employs young people. According to which legal regulations, criteria, and procedures, according to which competition, when we know what and how the law foresees and what are the procedures and time frames for someone to be employed,“ he said, highlighting the fact that no job vacancies have been announced.
He stated that he is not surprised by the actions of Kurti’s government.
„Who violated his own laws and used legal violence in many other cases.“
Municipal workers are not letters on paper for someone to erase, he underlined, noting that the young people seen in Radomirovic’s company probably do not know that the individuals already employed in the municipal administration, who have decades of experience, are not allowed entry and have been protesting for almost 90 days.
I never made decisions about Civil Protection
Todic also addressed the „pathological lies“ of Radoica Radomirovic, namely the ones referring to Todic allegedly leaving behind and signing documents with the names of young men employed in Civil Protection in the municipality, adding that Radomirovic himself was once one of its members.
“Radomirovic told falsehoods after being instructed and taught how to act, as well as who to target and strike at with fabrications.“
When asked what happened with the documentation of the Republic of Serbia, since the occupation of the buildings, Todic confirmed that there is an archive in the municipal building in Leposavic.
„Unfortunately, the lack of access to documentation greatly hampers the work of all competent departments and services, where again, in addition to citizens who suffer the most in exercising their rights, employees also suffer during the realization of work tasks and obligations,“ he adds.
I only have one salary
Radomirovic also accused Todic of receiving multiple wages. Todic explicitly denied the allegations, saying that he has only one personal income – for performing the function of president of the Provisional Authority of the municipality of Leposavic. In turn, Todic alleged that Radomirovic is receiving salaries from both the Serbian and Kosovo budgets.
Todic noted that all allegations made in this conversation can be reviewed with the competent services and authorities.
„Time will reveal everything, who is who and for whose interests he is working. Because of the lies and very serious accusations, untruths and slander in the mentioned video, I will contact the competent authorities in order to protect my honor and reputation,“ this official emphasized.
The pressures of the international community are also not yielding results
When asked to comment on the future development of the situation, Todic replied:
„It is ungrateful to predict anything at this moment, what kind of autumn awaits us.“
While recalling the unilateral decisions and actions from Pristina, which, as he says, led to the deterioration of the security situation in the four northern municipalities, Todic added that the Serbs have meanwhile observed that even pressure from international representatives is not yielding results.
„Regardless of the European plan on de-escalation of the emerging crisis situation“, he adds.
Todic noted that Radomirovic was one of the few Serbs who participated in the April 23 elections, where he won only one vote.
“The question arises as to what legitimacy and legality he has, apparently with the approval of the authorities from Pristina, to carry out activities in the municipality of Leposavic in the last few days, which worries all of us and certainly does not contribute to calming and de-escalating the situation.“
Finally, he sent an appeal to the international community, the ambassadors of the Quint countries, the European Union, the KFOR commander, and the head of EULEX – “to react and prevent the actions and activities of Radomirovic and his followers in order to calm the situation and resolve all open political issues through dialogue and negotiations“.
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Rasic’s deputy booed in front of the municipal building in Leposavic, he responded
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
