British embassy on demolition of houses at Gazivode: Address issues transparently and avoid actions that could undermine trust

The British Embassy in Pristina today expressed concern over the demolition of houses near Gazivode Lake and called on the Kosovo authorities to engage with the affected communities, address the issues transparently, and avoid further actions that could undermine public trust or trust between communities.

“The British Embassy is concerned about the demolition of houses near Gazivode Lake and is closely monitoring developments. Respect for the rule of law requires fair and transparent processes in which those affected are able to exercise their rights,” the Embassy stated in a post on the social media platform X.

The Embassy added that it was particularly concerned by reports that enforcement measures had been carried out while court proceedings were still ongoing.

The statement emphasised that the law should be applied consistently and impartially throughout Kosovo.

“We call on the Kosovo authorities to engage with the affected communities, address the issues transparently, and avoid further actions that could undermine public trust or trust between communities,” the British Embassy in Pristina stated.

Earlier today, the EU Office in Kosovo expressed regret over yesterday’s demolition of houses in the Gazivode Lake area, which was carried out even though the affected residents had already initiated court proceedings within the 15-day period stipulated in notices issued by the public enterprise Ibër-Lepenc concerning the vacation and clearance of the land, the institution announced.

The German Embassy in Pristina stated that it shared the concerns expressed by the European Union regarding the demolition of houses at Gazivode Lake and called for the immediate suspension of these activities.

The demolition of holiday homes and houses at Gazivode Lake began yesterday morning. According to Zubin Potok Mayor Miloš Perović, the Municipality of Zubin Potok had not issued a permit for the demolition, which was being carried out without a court order.