With the assistance of the Kosovo Police, officials from the Municipality of North Mitrovica entered the Sports Hall located in the northern part of the city today, ordering workers, trainers, and children waiting for their 3 PM practice to vacate the premises.
Personal belongings and sports equipment were promptly removed, and the locks on the hall’s doors were changed before the building was officially sealed.
The Hall’s manager, Goran Kovač, spoke to KoSSev outside the building after being asked to leave. He recounted that Serbian athletes’ images, including those of tennis star Novak Djokovic, swimmer Milorad Čavić, and basketball player Aleksandar Đorđević, were taken down, while a portrait of local humanitarian Branko Đorđević was reportedly torn.
Kovač added that he questioned the manner of their arrival, noting that he had been present at the hall throughout the day and would have been open to discussions.
According to him, officials initially insisted he speak in Albanian, which he refused, citing his right to use the Serbian language.
„They eventually backed down,“ Kovač noted, adding that he was told the hall’s takeover was a municipal matter. He was assured that „everything would remain as it was“ and was asked to visit the municipality with the sports schedule and activities list the following morning.
Kovač expressed skepticism, citing a similar situation with the local Waterworks, where employees were initially told operations would continue unchanged, only to be removed the next day.
„They went silent when I asked if this would be like the Waterworks. They insisted this is different, that they don’t want publicity or conflict.“
He warned that if parents demanded it, „tomorrow there could be 1,000 children here fighting for their basic rights— the right to play sports and live here.“ Kovač announced plans to address the media again tomorrow, depending on the outcome of his meeting with municipal authorities. „If things don’t go as promised, I will call a press conference,“ he declared.
Kovač also demanded documentation of the day’s activities from municipal officials.
„They were surprised I asked for that,“ he said.
„They pretended not to understand, then pulled out some papers for me to sign. I asked for them in Serbian—I have the right to that,“ he added, claiming that his request triggered a „hysterical reaction“ from a municipal employee.
Local Coaches Left in the Dark
Srdjan Komadina, coach of the local basketball club „Centar,“ was inside the hall when the police arrived. His team, comprising children aged 6 to 8, was preparing for its regular training sessions.
„Just before the training started, the Kosovo Police came and asked us to leave,“ Komadina said. „They didn’t offer explanations—just asked us to pack up and exit.“
The team managed to gather basketballs, but other equipment was left behind. Komadina approached one of the officials, unsure if she was with the police or the municipality, seeking further information.
„She didn’t know anything. All they told us is that we would need to contact the Municipality of North Mitrovica for any future use,“ he explained.
Unclear Status of the Sports Hall
The move comes three months after the North Mitrovica Assembly passed a regulation governing the use of sports facilities. The Sports Hall, located near the former military repair site, was among the properties under review. Nedžad Ugljanin, President of the North Mitrovica Assembly, previously stated that four sports facilities were covered by the regulation—two of which are „protected by the Ministry,“ while the status of the hall near the military site and an unfinished hall near the church remained unclear.
Ugljanin added that neither assembly members nor the majority of residents were certain who officially managed these properties.
North Mitrovica Mayor Erden Atić, had earlier indicated that the legal status of the hall was being clarified in cooperation with the Ministry of Sport and the European Union, given that the facility is part of an EU-funded project.
The construction of both halls, including the unfinished one, was financed by the EU, according to officials from the Municipality of North Mitrovica.
However, this is not true—at least in the case of the Sports Hall near the Military Repair site. It was financed through the Northern Fund, with the consent of the Municipality of North Mitrovica. The hall was opened during the 2019 local election campaign, despite being incomplete.
The Sports Hall has long served as a hub for local sports clubs, hosting training sessions and competitions in volleyball, basketball, handball, football, martial arts, and other recreational sports.
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Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
