An incident occurred in the village of Kisnica near Gracanica at approximately 5:30 pm yesterday when a group of young men chanting „KLA“ threw glass bottles at a local ethnic Serb, Zoran Trajkovic, who was standing in his front yard at the time, local media reported. The published photographs prove that the police went out on the scene, but so far there is no official information about what exactly happened in Kisnica last night. Later during the same night, a group of youngsters chanted “KLA” during the officials’ visit to Trajkovic’s home.
Trajkovic, who lives in Kisnica with his family, told the local media that the young men, who live in the same village, approached his house while chanting „KLA“. He stressed that he tried to „defuse tensions“ and that he told them to go home, after which, he added, they threw a dozen glass bottles at him.
Trajkovic also confirmed that he was not injured as he took cover behind a fence. After the men left, he called the police, who then conducted an investigation.
He stated that he „expected such a reaction“ after a billboard with the inscription „Freedom has a name – KLA“ located near Gracanica was set on fire yesterday morning.
Despite multiple inquiries to what happened last night in Kisnica, the KoSSev portal could not obtain a reply from the Kosovo Police.
The commander of the police station in Gracanica, Bratislav Trajkovic did not respond to the KoSSev reporter’s phone calls, and despite the promises of the police spokesman for the Pristina region, Baki Kelani that we would receive a reply after we sent questions via e-mail – no reply has arrived so far.
This incident was not mentioned in the daily report of the Kosovo Police sent to the media this morning.
Special Unit was also present on the scene
The mayor of Gracanica, Srdjan Popovic paid a visit to the Trajkovic family last night.
While Popovic was talking to Trajkovic, a „KLA“ chant was heard from a car passing by Trajkovic’s home, which was then seen heading to the other side of the village, was reported from the scene.
The police came returned the scene, accompanied by the Special Unit, who talked to the people who shouted „KLA“ in the street not far from Trajkovic’s house.
Finally, Gracanica Online reported that gunshots were also heard in Kisnica shortly before midnight. The police responded for the third time, stationing a patrol in the village and at its entrance.
Petkovic: Billboard – a direct call for violence
The head of the Kosovo Office, Petar Petkovic reacted with a statement last night. He also linked the incident with the destroyed KLA billboard.
Petkovic alleged that the attack in Kisnica is a confirmation that the billboards with the emblem „KLA“ in the central part of Kosovo „are not an artistic performance or an expression of reverence for someone, but a direct call for violence“.
He called for an „urgent reaction“ from international representatives in Kosovo.
„These days, when emotions among the Albanian population in Kosovo are heightened due to indictments issued against former KLA commanders, it is necessary to ensure an increased international security presence in Serb areas south of the Ibar and stand in the way of public popularization of crimes,“ Petkovic said.
He alerted the international community that the atmosphere in Kosovo is „quite tense and volatile,“ and that preventive measures must be taken.
The ‘Freedom has a name – KLA’ campaign creators accused Belgrade in a press conference
On the day Hashim Thaci and Kadri Veseli announced that the indictment issued against them by the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office for KLA War Crimes had been confirmed, a group of Kosovo artists and intellectuals created a campaign ‘Freedom has a name – KLA.’
The campaign slogan can be seen on billboards throughout Kosovo, as well as on social networks and TV stations.
Over the weekend, one such billboard located on the highway in Gracanica caught the public eye due to the negative reaction it stirred among the Kosovo Serb community – which interpreted it as a provocation. The media have since reported that unknown perpetrators have reportedly set the same billboard on fire early in the morning on Tuesday.
There are no official results of the police investigation into how the billboard with the slogan of „Freedom has a name – KLA“ campaign burned down.
The police report only states that one person reported that the billboard was set on fire at 6:30 am and that the firefighters extinguished the fire.
The creators of the campaign of support for war crimes indictees before the Specialist Chambers, a six-member group of artists, intellectuals, and an AP photographer from Kosovo, organized a press conference yesterday on the subject of this incident.
PDK MP and artist Eliza Hoxha and philosopher Ismail Tasholli addressed the public at the conference, during which they accused Belgrade of „arson and vandalism“.
„We believe that even this act of vandalism destroying the Liria Ka Emer billboard, with the KLA logo, comes from official Belgrade, which was hindered by the liberation war for Kosovo, the Kosovo Liberation Army, Kosovo independence, and today they are hindered by the state of Kosovo itself,“ the representatives of this campaign said.
They emphasized that „freedom is a universal value“ and that everyone should be united around it – both Albanians and other communities in Kosovo. They also warned that Serbia would lose another war to Kosovo through the projects of this platform. While announcing further projects, they alleged that they will „tell the true history of Kosovo“ by publishing the stories of KLA soldiers.
„This may harm Serbia, as our people’s efforts for freedom have harmed it, but this battle and every other battle with Kosovo will be lost, as was the one in 1999.“
„The stories of KLA soldiers, in the videos you have already seen, testify to their great ideal and high pride in the liberation of the country, but they are also evidence of great crimes, murders, massacres committed by Serbian police and army, which they have seen with their own
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