Office for Kosovo and Metohija: Forced demolition of weekend cottages at Lake Gazivode is another act of lawlessness and terror by Albin Kurti

The forced demolition of weekend cottages at Lake Gazivode, which have been owned by Serbs for decades, represents another act of lawlessness and terror by Albin Kurti. It was carried out without any court order, unlawfully and disgracefully, with the aim of retaliating against the Serbian population, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija said in a statement.

According to the Office, the demolitions constitute "a brutal display of force by the provisional institutions in Pristina, which are prepared to disregard even their own regulations whenever it is necessary to target the Serbian people, as well as another escalatory move orchestrated by Albin Kurti with the aim of destabilizing northern Kosovo and Metohija."

"The owners of the weekend cottages learned that their property, which they had acquired over many years, was to be demolished only after notices were affixed to their buildings. When they requested the relevant court decisions today, none were provided. All of this indicates that these demolitions were not carried out for the purpose of enforcing any law, but rather on political grounds, demonstrating that, for Pristina, the policy of force prevails over respect for legal procedures whenever Serbs are concerned," the statement reads.

The Office further pointed out that the Municipality of Zubin Potok had not issued any authorization for the demolition of the cottages and that the owners had offered every possible form of agreement and compromise in an effort to resolve the matter.

"The legal representative of the affected Serbian owners has filed legal actions seeking the protection of their rights. Nevertheless, Pristina has once again demonstrated its anti-Serb character today by resorting to another unilateral measure. International representatives must put an end to this disregard for all legal norms and the rights of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija and become actively involved in protecting those rights," the statement concludes.

Heavy construction machinery arrived at the shore of Lake Gazivode at approximately 7:30 a.m. this morning, where the demolition of 11 weekend cottages began. Five structures have been demolished so far, and, according to police officers at the scene, the remaining six are expected to be removed by the end of the day.