Kosovo’s outgoing Prime Minister Albin Kurti, accompanied by three ministers, visited North Mitrovica today in an unannounced trip marked by a heightened police presence and an incident involving the detention of a local opposition politician.
The visit began in the morning hours, with Kurti and the Minister of Local Government Administration, Elbert Krasniqi, briefly entering the North Mitrovica municipality building. The two did not make public statements. According to social media reports, Kurti then continued to South Mitrovica for a reported meeting with Bedri Hamza, the PDK candidate for prime minister and current mayor of South Mitrovica.
Meanwhile, the remaining two officials – Acting Minister of Internal Affairs Xhelal Sveçla and Director of the Kosovo Police Gazmend Hoxha – remained in the northern part of the city. KoSSev reporters encountered the two at a recently opened Albanian café at the bottom of the pedestrian zone.
When asked about the purpose of his visit, Director Hoxha told KoSSev it was “a regular visit,” assuring that “everything is calm and stable at the moment.”
However, an incident occurred shortly after Hoxha left the premises and Minister Sveçla was exiting the café. Stefan Veljković, deputy president of the Serbian Democracy party, began protesting by blowing a whistle near the end of the pedestrian zone. Although he did not physically approach the minister, plainclothes police initially attempted to remove him, and a member of Sveçla’s security team allegedly shoved Veljković, injuring his lip.
Veljković continued protesting verbally, shouting „Ua,“ and was again pushed by another individual in civilian clothing. Shortly after Sveçla’s departure, Veljković was detained by police.
“This is what happens when I whistle against Kurti. First, I was beaten by his security, and now I’m being arrested – simply for expressing my democratic protest against the anti-Serb policies of the Kosovo government,” Veljković shouted while resisting arrest.
Veton Elshani, deputy commander of the Kosovo Police for the North region, who was present at the scene, told the media that Veljković was not arrested but “detained.”
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