For nearly 24 years, the Serbian residents of Miroče, a village located in the municipality of Vučitrn, Kosovo, have been fighting a seemingly endless legal battle to reclaim their land, homes, and livelihoods. The conflict centers around approximately 230 hectares of Serbian-owned property, which the residents allege has been systematically occupied, destroyed, and exploited by an Albanian family from the neighboring village of Karače. Despite numerous efforts to resolve the issue through local, national, and international channels, the 34 property owners remain without justice, as their claims continue to be ignored by the authorities in Pristina and beyond.
The struggle, as outlined in a detailed public letter by Duško Milenković on the portal KoSSev, highlights the complexities of property restitution in post-war Kosovo.
Systematic Occupation and Destruction
The case of Miroče is not an isolated incident but rather an example of the broader issue of Serbian property rights in Kosovo. According to Milenković, since 2000, the Albanian family in question has unlawfully occupied all available Serbian property in a concentrated area of the village, using it for agricultural purposes.
The land in dispute includes not only homes and yards but also pastures, orchards, fields, and forests that were once the lifeblood of the Serbian community in Miroče. Over time, these lands have been cleared, merged, and exploited without the consent or compensation of their rightful owners.
The systematic destruction of homes and infrastructure was completed around 2018, based on satellite and cadastral records presented to authorities. These records, from sources such as the Kosovo Cadastre Agency’s Geoportal website, as well as satellite imagery from 2003 and 2021, clearly show the extent of the damage:
• All available Serbian-owned land has been seized, leaving no parcels untouched.
• Homes and other buildings in Miroče have been demolished, with no traces of the village remaining.
• Smaller plots owned by multiple Serbian families have been consolidated into large agricultural tracts, planted with monoculture crops and enclosed by physical barriers such as forests and streams.
• A large cattle farm has been constructed on the land belonging to one of the property owners.
Exploitation Under the Guise of Legal Farming
One of the more troubling aspects of this case is the role of local authorities, who, according to Milenković, have been complicit in the ongoing occupation and exploitation of Serbian property.
The Albanian family occupying the land has reportedly received agricultural subsidies for farming the stolen land—effectively receiving state support for illegal activities. These subsidies have allowed the family to continue farming and profiting from the land while the rightful owners remain powerless to intervene.
Efforts by the Serbian villagers to reclaim their property through legal channels have been met with little more than bureaucratic indifference.
Over the years, they have sought assistance from local authorities in Vučitrn, higher institutions in Pristina, and international organizations such as UNMIK, EULEX, and OSCE. However, none of these efforts have led to a resolution. Milenković asserts that these authorities have either turned a blind eye to the issue or provided superficial responses that fail to address the core problem.
A Unique and Complex Problem
Milenković emphasizes that the case of Miroče is not merely an isolated instance of property theft or a dispute between individual landowners and squatters. Instead, it represents a systematic effort to erase the Serbian presence in the area and exploit their property for financial gain.
The scope of the issue is staggering, both in terms of the physical area involved—230 hectares—and the number of affected families, which totals 34. The financial damage is equally significant, with estimates of at least €3 million in losses for 14 destroyed households, plus the untold value of the cut-down orchards and forests.
According to the villagers, there have been more than 50 serious criminal acts committed in relation to the theft and destruction of their property. However, despite the existence of court rulings and decisions by the Kosovo Property Agency (KPA) in favor of the Serbian owners, enforcement of these rulings has been impossible. The villagers allege that local authorities have done nothing to implement these decisions, leaving them in a legal limbo.
Appeals to International Authorities
Since February 2023, the residents of Miroče have made four public appeals to international organizations and media in both Pristina and Belgrade, pleading for intervention. Their most recent appeal was sent on August 12, 2024, in which they provided concrete evidence of the illegal occupation, including satellite images, cadastral records, and a detailed list of the property owners and the nature of their losses. Despite this, they have received no meaningful response.
The villagers argue that their case cannot be resolved through traditional legal means due to the sheer scale and nature of the problem. Milenković explains that this is not a simple case of an individual property dispute; rather, it is a matter of systemic exploitation and destruction of Serbian property in the region. The perpetrators, bolstered by their political connections and the apparent tacit approval of local authorities, have been able to act with impunity for over two decades.
Harassment and Intimidation
The Serbian property owners in Miroče also face constant harassment and intimidation from the occupying family. Potential buyers or tenants who express interest in the land are threatened with reprisals, effectively preventing any attempts to sell or lease the property. Even in court, the villagers face threats, and they have no protection or support from local authorities.
One of the most disturbing claims is that some Serbian landowners in Kosovo who initiate legal proceedings against the occupiers are often arrested on charges of alleged war crimes, based on testimonies from the very individuals occupying their land. This tactic, according to Milenković, serves to intimidate and silence those who dare to challenge the illegal occupation.
An Urgent Call for Justice
In their latest appeal, the villagers of Miroče have called for the issue to be addressed by the relevant public prosecutor in Pristina. They urge the authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly, using the evidence they have provided, including the detailed table of property owners and the types and sizes of their land holdings. They are also willing to cooperate fully with any investigation, providing additional documentation and testimony as needed.
Milenković stresses that only a systematic and comprehensive response from the authorities will resolve the issue. This includes not only the prosecution of those responsible for the crimes but also compensation for the affected families and the restoration of their rights to use, lease, or sell their property without fear of intimidation.
International Reaction and Limited Progress
So far, the international response to the Miroče case has been limited. While organizations such as UNMIK, EULEX, and OSCE have acknowledged the villagers’ appeals, their responses have been largely inadequate. These institutions have treated the issue as a simple property dispute, offering general guidance that does not address the unique nature of the problem.
For example, the Kosovo Property Comparison and Verification Agency (KPA), which is responsible for resolving property disputes, has not taken meaningful action. Similarly, while the Kosovo Ombudsperson’s Institution and the Ministry of Return and Communities have engaged with the villagers, their efforts have been piecemeal and insufficient to tackle the systemic nature of the problem.
The Way Forward
The villagers of Miroče are asking for a solution that goes beyond individual court cases and addresses the root causes of the problem. They believe that their issue can only be resolved through the involvement of international representatives and higher levels of government in Priština, focusing on three key areas:
-Engaging the relevant prosecution office to address the issue legally,
– Assessing the type and scope of damage and determining appropriate compensation for all landowners,
– Ensuring the right to continue managing private property.
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Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
