Office for Kosovo and Metohija: Destruction of Serbian gravestones a vandalistic and anti-civilizational act

The destruction of Serbian gravestones belonging to the Jakovljevic family in Plemetina near Obilic is a vandalistic and anti-civilizational act by those who wish nothing good for the Serbian people in Kosovo, nor peace and coexistence in these areas, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija stated.

In its statement, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija stressed that “the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija are under constant attack by Albanian extremists and political structures from Pristina, and even the deceased are not spared, as their graves and monuments are desecrated and destroyed, and Serbian cemeteries are being eradicated.”

“Relatives of the Jakovljevic family today found the monument to Spasoje knocked down and the monument to Slavica Jakovljevic demolished at the Orthodox cemetery in Plemetina, which has disturbed the Serbs living in this Serbian community, who expect protection and a response from international representatives. This shameful act is a mirror of hatred toward everything Serbian and of the anti-Serb policy from Pristina, which seeks to expel and erase all Serbian traces from Kosovo and Metohija,” the statement reads.

Unknown perpetrators knocked down and demolished two gravestones at the new Orthodox cemetery in Plemetina near Obilic, and residents of this predominantly Serbian village informed the police in order to identify and punish those responsible.

Petar Jakovljevic, a relative of the deceased whose monuments were damaged, said that this was already the fourth time someone had attacked the new Orthodox cemetery in Plemetina.

“I informed the police in Obilic, I informed the international human rights community in Obilic. We do not suspect anyone; it would be a sin to say that I suspect someone, but someone did this. Who it was, let the competent prosecuting authorities investigate; the executive authorities in Kosovo should do their job and resolve the problems,” Jakovljevic told RTS.