The Serbian national flag on the Zvecan Fortress has become a point of contention, being removed at least four times in 2024. In the most recent incident, unknown individuals successfully cut down the iron flagpole during the night. Early the next morning, local residents noticed the absence of the flag and immediately took action.
A group of citizens from North Kosovo, who had previously intervened on several occasions to restore the flag, climbed the Zvecan Fortress once again.
By the afternoon, they had erected a new, smaller flagpole and raised the Serbian flag once more. Although the incident was not formally reported to the police, officers were seen at the fortress during the day, according to local witnesses who spoke to KoSSev.
Veton Elshani, deputy commander of the Kosovo Police for the North region, confirmed this. “The police noticed around 10 a.m. that the flag was missing,” Elshani explained.
“Officers climbed the fortress and found local residents there, along with the newly raised flag. The police have no information about the removal or reinstallation of the flag and flagpole. No case has been opened,” he added, reiterating that the police are not involved in matters concerning the flag.
It is clear that someone is persistently targeting this symbol of the Serbian majority in North Kosovo. The flag has been removed multiple times over the past year but has always been restored thanks to the dedication of local residents.
The Zvecan Fortress is a popular gathering spot for locals, who often visit to enjoy the historic site and the remains of the ancient Church of St. George.
In addition to local residents, members of special units have recently been spotted on the fortress, with drones reportedly used for surveillance.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
