Milkic after the attack: My father and I fear for our safety, we expect a response from the police

Marko Milkic from the village of Binac, who was attacked by an Albanian neighbour and whose father, Svetozar Milkic, was beaten while trying to defend him, told Kosovo Online that he fears for his own safety and that of his family, adding that they no longer feel secure in their home. According to Milkic, the same neighbour had verbally harassed them on previous occasions, but this time the situation escalated into a physical assault.

Marko Milkic was attacked today by an Albanian neighbour, while his father Svetozar sustained bodily injuries when attempting to protect him.

Milkic stated that they had already been subjected to several verbal attacks by the same neighbour, but that this incident marked an escalation into physical violence, during which his father suffered more serious injuries than he did.

“I was returning home with a friend when this neighbour approached me on the street. Speaking in Albanian, he told me to remove some bottles that were lying there. I replied that I had nothing to do with them and continued towards my house. I then heard footsteps behind me, turned around, and was struck twice in the nose and forehead area. My friend separated us, and I immediately called the police. In the meantime, my father returned from the field and came to see what had happened. He asked the neighbour why he had done it. The neighbour’s mother then came outside with a small child, and he started shouting and swearing. He picked up a wooden plank, struck my father, injured his arm and cut his finger. After that, he fled. The police searched for him but were unable to locate him,” Milkic said.

He added that the family is concerned for its safety and expects the police to carry out their duties properly.

“We are worried because this is not the first incident. Until now, there had only been verbal attacks, but this time he physically assaulted us. We do not know what may happen next. We hope that the police will do their job properly,” Milkic said.

He also noted that his father required stitches to a finger and is suffering from a swollen arm, adding that he remains deeply shaken by the incident.

In response to the attack, the Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo and Metohija stated that the assault on Svetozar Milkic had been preceded by a verbal altercation and that he was subsequently attacked with a wooden object by a person of Albanian ethnicity, after which he was transported to hospital for medical treatment.