The registration of newborns and deceased persons has resumed in the municipality of North Mitrovica, marking the end of a months-long administrative blockade that began on February 1 of this year.
Deputy Mayor Katarina Ađančić confirmed the resumption of services in a brief statement to KoSSev.
„Registrations of births and deaths have begun. As for the necessary documentation, citizens can get that information directly at the civil registry office. Officials there will tell them what they need,“ Ađančić said.
This information was also verified by municipal clerks, who told a KoSSev journalist—posing as a regular citizen—that the process had quietly restarted several days ago. They urged families of newborns and the deceased to visit the municipal office in person for detailed guidance.
Misunderstanding Behind the Delay
Veton Elshani, deputy commander of the Kosovo Police for the North region, had earlier confirmed the restart of the registration process to KoSSev. He attributed the months-long disruption to a misunderstanding on the part of the North Mitrovica municipal authorities regarding a government decision.
According to Elshani, the problem stemmed from the municipality’s misinterpretation of a Kosovo Government decision that allowed citizens to register vital events between February 1 and April 30 using Serbian documentation.
„The municipality requested clarification on how to handle cases of births and deaths occurring after February 1. Once they received the interpretation, a commission was formed, and the issuance process began,“ Elshani explained.
Blockade Confirmed in March
Although the halt in registrations began in early February, it wasn’t officially acknowledged until March 18. At that time, the municipality cited a directive from the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Pristina as the reason for suspending registration services.
„Registrations for births and deaths from February 1 onward have been suspended. Pristina could provide better insight into the reasons—we don’t know ourselves, as we weren’t given any details. We were simply told to suspend the process. We don’t even know when or whether it will resume or if there will be a new directive,“ a municipal representative told KoSSev at the time.
Throughout the suspension, KoSSev repeatedly sought clarification from both the municipality and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Despite sending dozens of emails, the portal received no response. Phone lines were often unreachable or went unanswered.
Notably, the KoSSev journalist who first reported the suspension received threats from the very municipal official who confirmed the information.
Registration of Newborns and Deceased Halted in North Mitrovica Municipality
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