Victims of pogrom honored in North Mitrovica, Zaporozac: We remember and we do not forget

With a moment of silence and the laying of wreaths at the White Angel monument and memorial plaques for Jana Tucev and Borivoje Spasojevic, representatives of the Serb List and the Provisional Authority of the Municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica honored the victims of the pogrom that took place on March 17, 2004.

After laying flowers, Serb List Vice President Ivan Zaporozac stated that 21 years have passed since Serbs were killed and expelled, and their churches and monasteries were burned, yet, as he emphasized, no one has been held accountable.

He pointed out that for Serbs in Kosovo, March 17 is still ongoing, though the methods have changed.

"In 2004, the mob tried to drive the Serbian people out of Kosovo. Now, the methods have changed, but the goal remains the same – to ensure that Serbs either no longer exist in Kosovo or become a minority unable to make decisions. We have gathered to say that we remember and do not forget, and to send the message that despite these methods, Serbs will remain and endure on their ancestral land," he stated.

Dragan Spasojevic, son of the murdered Borivoje Spasojevic, emphasized that even after all these years, the crimes are not forgotten and that there is still hope that those responsible will be brought to justice.

"The violence that occurred on March 17, which was extrajudicial, has now become institutionalized violence. Every day, we face a potential March 17 because the perpetrators of the violence have been given a platform in the assembly, under the name 'Self-Determination.' They have free rein to continue these actions in a more subtle manner, hiding behind laws they themselves never respected," Spasojevic said.

The unrest on March 17 began in the early morning hours following the spread of false news by Albanian media, claiming that two boys had drowned the night before in the village of Cabra, with media outlets blaming Serbs for their deaths.

During the unrest on March 17 and 18 across Kosovo, six cities were ethnically cleansed of Serbs, with North Mitrovica remaining the only multiethnic city.