Arsic on Gazivode hotel demolition: I fear this approach by Pristina will become standard practice

Predrag Arsic, the lawyer representing the Jaksic family, whose hotel at Gazivode was demolished, said he fears that this approach by the authorities in Pristina could become standard practice wherever Serbs live in Kosovo.

Arsic said that on July 14, the Jaksic family was served with a request to vacate their property, which was delivered by employees of the “Ibar-Lepenac” company.

“The request did not refer to a single document that would show the legal basis on which the company claims ownership of the Jaksic family's property. Although there was no legal basis, that did not prevent employees of the public company ‘Ibar-Lepenac’ from arriving with heavy machinery and the police during the night to demolish the family's property, leaving them out on the street,” Arsic told RTS.

He stressed that the owners' rights had not been respected.

He also recalled that a lawsuit had been filed against the “Ibar-Lepenac” company, along with a criminal complaint against its director, Faruk Mujka.

However, although the hearing in that case had been scheduled for August 12, that did not prevent the police from demolishing the hotel.

“I fear this case will become the practice of the authorities in Pristina when it comes to confiscating the property of Serbs. The only option left to us is the civil lawsuit we are pursuing before the Basic Court in Mitrovica. I hope we will succeed,” Arsic said.

He reiterated that there is concern that similar cases will follow in the coming months wherever Serbs live in Kosovo.

“Such actions are carried out selectively, only in areas where Serbs live,” Arsic emphasized.

The “Jezero” motel at Gazivode was demolished yesterday after employees of the “Ibar-Lepenac” company, together with members of the Kosovo Police, entered the building and informed the owners that they had to leave. Members of EULEX and KFOR were present during the demolition.

The EULEX Mission stated that it is monitoring the case involving the demolition of the “Jezero” motel and beach bar, but provided no further details.

The motel's owners, Jordan and Aleksandar Jaksic, told Kosovo Online that they had not expected the demolition to take place because they had filed a lawsuit against the “Ibar-Lepenac” company and court proceedings are ongoing.

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija stated that the continued demolition of buildings in the municipality of Zubin Potok, specifically the private property of the Jaksic family near Lake Gazivode, is evidence of what it described as Albin Kurti's policy aimed at the destruction, devastation, usurpation and trampling of everything Serbian in Kosovo.

Non-governmental organizations from northern Kosovo also reacted, stating that the demolition of the motel on the orders of “Ibar-Lepenac” director Faruk Mujka had undermined Kosovo's constitutional and legal order.