The municipal inspection in Zubin Potok cordoned off at least four apartment buildings with yellow tape today, citing suspicions of illegal construction. The Office for Kosovo and Metohija said in a statement that a total of six apartment buildings were cordoned off. They confirmed that the facilities in question were funded by the Republic of Serbia, alleging that they were “seized” by Kosovo authorities.
Deputy Commander for the North Region, Veton Elshani, confirmed the developments to KoSSev:
“By the prosecutor’s order, the municipal inspection has cordoned off these buildings due to suspicions of illegal construction. The Kosovo Police assisted in securing the site.”
The keys to the apartments were distributed late last month. The affected buildings remain uninhabited, according to Elshani.
“We patrolled the buildings for several days, knocking on doors, but found no residents,” he stated.
Access to the buildings is now prohibited pending the investigation, though individuals with belongings inside can coordinate with the police to retrieve them.
“Regional prosecution and inspection are simply doing their job,” Zubin Potok Mayor Izmir Zeqiri said, referring to the investigation into alleged irregularities.
Housing Allocation Under Scrutiny
The cordoned buildings, located near the Agricultural Cooperative and in the vicinity of the Mokra Gora Sports and Recreation Center, have drawn significant attention.
Late last month, reports surfaced that keys to these apartments were distributed overnight, allegedly favoring individuals with ties to the Serbian List or those who already had housing.
Local groups, including Serbian Democracy and the Serbian National Movement Zubin Potok, criticized the process, questioning the lack of transparency and public criteria for distribution. Allegations of favoritism fueled tensions, reportedly culminating in a verbal altercation among residents that prompted police intervention.
Authorities have since interviewed multiple individuals, including Miloš Perović, a prominent figure from the Zubin Potok Provisional Authority and former member of the Kosovo Assembly.
In early December, the Zubin Potok municipality called on key recipients to register with local authorities for records of tenancy. However, no one responded, confirmed Mayor Zeqiri.
Kosovo Office Decries “Property Seizure”
The Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo and Metohija condemned the closures as an unjust seizure of Serbian-funded property.
“Albin Kurti continues his brazen expropriation of Serbian assets, blocking 107 apartments intended for housing underprivileged Serbs in Zubin Potok without any legal basis,” the office stated, noting that a total of six buildings were cordoned.
The statement accused Pristina of orchestrating the crisis as part of a broader campaign to undermine Serbian interests in northern Kosovo.
“After his failed allegations about the Ibar-Lepenac canal incident, Kurti is provoking new tensions to obscure his misconduct.”
Calls for Justice and Resolution
The Serbian List, which faced criticism over its alleged involvement in the allocation process, issued a statement condemning the closures as “seizure of Serb-owned property.”
We are in close communication with affected citizens and will use all legal and democratic means to defend their rights, the party declared.
“The rogue nature of the regime in Pristina has previously been evident through its seizure of Serbian private and public property, such as the Rajska Banja complex in Banjska, facilities of provisional institutions, municipal properties, and even by halting the construction of a university building and a school intended for children from minority communities,” they added.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
