Radojevic on the reconstruction of the Ibar Mosque: Campaign underway, Kurti intensifying pressure on North Mitrovica

Regarding the announced project to restore the Ibar Mosque, the Mayor of North Mitrovica, Milan Radojevic, stated for Kosovo Online that the campaign for early parliamentary elections has already begun and that acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti is undertaking intensified political actions directed at the municipality of North Mitrovica. Radojevic asserted that Kurti’s campaign is based on the destruction and expulsion of Serbs.

“It is evident that the campaign for early parliamentary elections has already started and, as in the previous period, Kurti is exerting maximum pressure on the municipality of North Mitrovica. As with previous visits, announcements, and the opening of certain institutions, there were no consultations whatsoever with the Municipality of North Mitrovica regarding the announced project for the restoration of the Ibar Mosque,” Radojevic said.

He assessed that this issue is particularly sensitive for the citizens of North Mitrovica, especially for the Serbian community, and questioned the approach to other projects in the city.

“This issue is highly sensitive for the citizens of North Mitrovica, particularly for the majority of Serbs living in the municipality, as it raises the question of why Kurti does not show the same level of commitment and intensity in supporting the restoration of the Orthodox Serbian cemetery in the southern part of Mitrovica, which has been completely devastated. Why does the Municipality of South Mitrovica not allow the installation of bells at the church in the southern part of the city, so that church bells may be heard again?” Radojevic asked.

According to him, Kurti’s campaign is based on the destruction and expulsion of Serbs.

“It is evident that Kurti’s policy, and his campaign, are based exclusively on the destruction of Serbs and their expulsion from areas where they are present,” the mayor stated.

Speaking about the competences of local self-government, Radojevic emphasized that the municipality has legally defined responsibilities and called for respect for the law.

“The Municipality of North Mitrovica has its competences defined by the Law on Local Self-Government. As we have no additional information on this matter beyond what has been reported in the media, we expect that this law will be respected and that the central level will not interfere in competences that are exclusively assigned to local self-governments—in this case, specifically to the Municipality of North Mitrovica,” he said.

Radojevic noted that he would seek a reaction from the international community.

“In this case, as in previous ones, we will inform representatives of the international community and request that the Municipality of North Mitrovica not be used as a testing ground for the marching of Kurti’s militants, as this does not contribute to building trust among communities, which has been seriously undermined since he came to power,” Radojevic said.

It should be noted that sports fields have in the meantime been built on the site where the mosque once stood.