Members of the Serbian Democracy party have once again been detained, this time on the Mitrovica promenade during a protest against the arrival of Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti. The party described the incident as an act of “police repression,” claiming their members had peacefully expressed their discontent from a significant distance. On the other hand, the police stated that the individuals were detained for refusing to comply with officers’ orders and were later released after being issued fines.
As previously announced by the Kosovo government, acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti today laid the foundation stones for two new bridges connecting North and South Mitrovica — one vehicular bridge near the North Mitrovica municipal building, and a pedestrian bridge on the southern side towards the “Three Towers” complex.
While waiting for Kurti to lay the first foundation stone near the North Mitrovica municipality, numerous media crews could hear the sound of a whistle in the distance.
Kurti Lays Foundation Stones for Two New Bridges in Divided Mitrovica, Despite Western Warnings
The sound was coming from the Mitrovica promenade, where members of the Serbian Democracy party had gathered to protest Kurti’s arrival.
Some media outlets published footage showing police officers escorting away the vice-president of Serbian Democracy, Stefan Veljković, along with several other senior party officials.
View this post on Instagram
“This is police repression. You can’t even blow a whistle or they will arrest and beat you. Shame!” Veljković shouted as officers took him away.
Serbian Democracy: Their Only “Sin” Was Peaceful Protest at a Distance
In a statement, the Serbian Democracy party reported that five of its members were detained: Stefan Veljković, Ivan Orlović, Vladimir Radosavljević, Aleksandar Lazović, and Zoran Obrenović.
“They were brutally arrested on the promenade solely for expressing their protest with whistles during Albin Kurti’s visit, who was laying the foundation stone for new bridges as a propaganda move — projects that are also opposed by much of the wider international community,” the statement said.
They added that the only “sin” of Serbian Democracy officials was “peacefully and from a great distance expressing their dissatisfaction, without incidents and without disturbing public order.”
The party also reminded the public that its leaders had been detained twice on June 28, both before and after the Vidovdan commemoration at Gazimestan.
“We call on the international community, all missions in Kosovo, and relevant actors to urgently engage in order to stop the open hunt and political persecution against members of Serbian Democracy,” they concluded.
Police: They Refused to Follow Police Orders
Meanwhile, the deputy commander of the Kosovo Police for the North region told KoSSev that Veljković and the others were allegedly detained for refusing to obey police orders.
“Officers told them several times, ‘go over to that side,’ and they responded, ‘we won’t.’ So we detained them for failing to follow the lawful orders of police officers,” said Veton Elshani.
When asked whether the members of Serbian Democracy were too close to the area where Kurti was supposed to pass through — and whether they posed any sort of threat — Elshani reiterated that officers had ordered them to move away, but, as he repeated, they did not comply.
He confirmed they were issued monetary fines and then released.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
