Albanian man in Gracanica removes memorial plaque to deceased girl; Peric: "They’re killing my child for the second time"

A memorial plaque dedicated to Biljana Peric, who tragically died 30 years ago in Gracanica, was removed by an Albanian man who recently purchased nearby property. The Peric family gathered at the site today and reported the incident to the Kosovo police and the municipal inspection.

The memorial plaque, commemorating the girl who died in a tragic accident, had stood by the roadside at the very spot where Biljana lost her life — but has now been cut down.

Biljana’s father, Vukasin Peric, emphasized that the memorial had not bothered anyone for three decades and that this act felt like losing his child all over again.

"You saw what our Albanian neighbor did here, where the plaque for my late child stood for 30 years. It never bothered anyone — and now suddenly it does. On Sunday, the Albanian man came with a grinder, cut the plaque, and threw it away. The house next to which the plaque stood used to be owned by a Serb; now it belongs to an Albanian. He didn’t notify anyone, not even me as the parent — he acted on his own. After 30 years, they are killing my child again," Peric said, noting that under Kosovo law, memorial plaques classified as roadside shrines are allowed on public land and private individuals have no right to destroy them.

Biljana’s mother, Dusica Peric, said they immediately contacted the police, adding that while it was easy for the Albanian to destroy the plaque and discard it, the act deeply wounded the family.

"When I came out that day, I saw two Albanians at the site. I asked for the owner, and one of them said he was the owner and that he had done it. I asked him what he had done and told him this was about my child, that I’m the mother. It’s easy for him to cut and throw away, but it hurts. Our son called the police — three Albanian officers came, and they were fair. They listened to us. Then a truck arrived, loaded with dirt, likely to cover the spot and erase all traces," Dusica said.