„This discussion, which is at least a year late, is a reflection of the undemocratic, illegal, and violent approach that the Self-Determination (Vetvendosje)-led government has taken on in recent years toward the Kosovo Serb community,“ the director of the New Social Initiative, Jovana Radosavljevic, said at a public discussion on the issue of the expropriated land held in Leposavic today.
Radosavljevic joined today’s discussion not only as a representative of the Kosovo Serb CSOs but also as a native of the municipality of Leposavic.
Representatives of the government in Pristina told civil society activists who attended the discussion that only plot owners and lawyers should participate, to which Radosavljevic replied that she is interested in this topic not only as a local, but also as an activist from an organization that follows the issue of expropriation and deals with human rights.
While pointing out that, as an activist, she has been engaged in improving inter-ethnic relations and building relations with Albanians for years, Radosavljevic emphasized that the greatest interest of both sides is actually to build coexistence and trust – creating one society based on full respect and understanding.
„Although we all have to contribute to that, the biggest responsibility for building trust lies with the ethnic majority, and above all with the Kosovo government,“ she said.
Furthermore, even though the north managed to build some sort of a relationship with the rest of Kosovo society after 2013, Radosavljevic expressed the belief that the current Kosovo government had destroyed that by using “invasive policies.”
She stressed that public discussions, such as the one held today, should be organized before decisions on expropriation are made and before the start of the implementation of infrastructure projects.
„We are witnesses to the fact that the land has already been confiscated, and the first bases have already been built,“ Radosavljevic pointed out.
She asked the representatives of the Expropriation Department of the Kosovo government whether or today’s belated initiative of the Pristina government can be understood in any other way aside from „an attempt to mask the legal violence that has already been carried out“.
The discussion would only make sense if the dismantling of the already-constructed bases, the cancellation of expropriation decisions and the return of the land to the state before the implementation of “legal violence against the owners, but also the entire community,” would be discussed today, she stated.
She then posed a series of questions to Pristina representatives:
Why is it in the public interest of Leposavic residents to have a KFOR base, a regular police station and even three special police bases? When did the citizens of Leposavic complain to the central authorities about security and it was decided that the entire municipality must be militarized? Yes, militarized. Why is the populated part of the municipality being militarized? Will unconstitutional, exclusively Albanian units in full tactical gear be deployed to that base as well? Why unconstitutional? Because articles 61 and 128 of the constitution clearly state that the composition should reflect demographic structure. When did the understanding of the sensitivity of security issues from Ahtisaari’s plan disappear? And why is it now not important to respect the parts of the constitution that obligates Kosovo to ensure that the composition of the police force reflects the demographic structure of the population?
Today’s discussion, during which the construction of existing police bases was debated, only acknowledged that they were built by legal violence, that is, without respecting the legal procedures that precede expropriation, the NSI director underlined.
Radosavljevic said that she expects disciplinary proceedings to be initiated against the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Kosovo Police, after which the land will be returned to its previous status.
„No, it is not in the public interest of Leposavic, a municipality near Kopaonik full of fertile vineyard land, an old mining and industrial site, to be recognized as a militarized municipality. No, Leposavic residents did not feel unsafe, at least not until they were overrun by bases of special units with armored vehicles and machine guns.”
She also gave a piece of advice to the Pristina representatives, as to how they can actually build trust with the community.
“Harmonize phytosanitary certificates with Serbia, remove obstacles to import, license pharmacies, stop the illegal practice of banning the import of textbooks and you will effectively deal with smuggling. This will help the reputation of the Kosovo Police much more than the occasional confiscation of pensioners’ prescription drugs or pulling over people while armed with automatic rifles,“ concluded Radosavljevic.
Milanovic: You’re blowing smoke all day, while breaking the law and rights
Dusan Milanovic – a representative of the local Youth Action Council Leposavic – also addressed the Pristina representatives today.
He said that it is in his interest to speak out at this discussion today, primarily on behalf of the young people who come from the villages included in the decision on expropriation.
„You call that decision expropriation, but that’s a term I won’t use, because all legal procedures and all rights guaranteed by international public law and the UN charter have been violated,“ Milanovic argued.
He refused to ask the Pristina representatives any questions, remarking that they do not have adequate and concrete answers to give.
„You’ve been blowing smoke all day and talking about some kind of economic development and roads. Everything that the municipality of Leposavic has been intensively dealing with in previous years, working for the benefit of the citizens and to improve the conditions of everyday life.“
He stated that institutional violence is being carried out against the Kosovo Serb population, while describing today’s debate as a mere formality and a way for the Kosovo government to justify itself before the international community.
He want on to say that „They also realized that you broke all the laws. Their presence today says it all. The presence of the OSCE, EULEX, representatives of the EU and all other organizations,“
Milanovic further alleged that today’s discussion is actually a violation of the law, as it was organized after the decision was made.
He accused Pristina of building a police base, under the pretext that Serbs are criminals. He asked them if they had ever heard anything about whether the workers who come to work in Leposavic, over a hundred of them, without ever having any problems.
„No Albanian was injured or abused,“ said Milanovic, in turn giving an example of some of the recent attack
He pointed out that Serbs not have a problem with local Albanians, but rather with central institutions in Pristina.
What is the purpose of a police base in an mono-ethnic municipality? To terrorize and intimidate? – he asked.
According to him, the Serbs only want a peaceful life and coexistence with the Albanians – not promotional videos calling for the boycott of Serb products.
„You share videos of the best sweets that every child loves, of any ethnicity, filled with bullets. Why? Because Serbs are the target,“ Milanovic warned.
Finally, he said that the only thing people want is for the decision on expropriation to be withdrawn and to lead normal lives.
Read more:
Miljkovic at the debate in Leposavic: What are you building? Certainly not a road
Vlajic: If only you came sooner, no one believes in the honest intentions of the government
CSOs demand that the Kosovo government stop all projects on expropriated land
EU is concerned over the works in LP, asks the government to respect the law and property rights
Locals protest a border police station is being constructed on expropriated land in Leposavic
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