Dragica Gasic: Neighbors the Albanians wouldn’t even say ‘hi’

Two years after returning to her native Djakovica, Dragica Gasic still lives alone in a 54-square-meter apartment, and considering that, as she states, she does not have a good relationship with her Albanian neighbors, she spends her time knitting and in front of the TV screen.

Dragica Gasic, the first Serbian returnee to Djakovica, tells Kosovo Online that living conditions are much better now than when she first returned to her apartment.

She points out that she still does not have permission to renovate the apartment, which is necessary, because there is a lot of moisture in the apartment because the roof on the floor above it is leaking.

"I spend time alone, I knit socks a little, sweaters, vests; the police come to visit me, KFOR, journalists, and time passes by. I'm well for now; I don't know how it will be. I'm much better this year. With my neighbors I don't cooperate at all, they won't even say good day. In the first year, they knocked on my door non-stop, until I installed armored ones. They hardly allowed me to install them. The apartment needs to be renovated, but they don't allow it," Dragica points out.

She states that she has the greatest help and support from the Office for Kosovo and Metohija and director Petar Petkovic, from buying basic groceries to going to North Mitrovica for treatment.

"I thank him a lot, if it wasn't for him I might not even survive. He always calls me on the phone, asks me how I am, if I have any problems, and if I do, I should let him know," Gasic adds.

She also bragged about the gifts she received from director Petkovic on the occasion of her two years of survival in Djakovica.

"I received flowers and a cake and perfume from the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, I thank him very much for remembering me, for not forgetting me, we talked, he called me last night on the phone, he congratulated me on my birthday around 8:30, and we talked for a long time," Gasic stated.

When asked if she regretted returning to Djakovica, she states that she is very happy to be in her apartment and the city where she spent the best moments of her life.

"I am very happy that I came here to my apartment, I would never return to Palanka to live. I said that as long as I could walk, I would stay in my apartment. I am not unhappy at all, I am very happy because I came to Djakovica when I was 18, I found a job there, got married, had two children, and that's where I was until the war started. My best years were here. I don't regret coming at all. I wish I had someone to keep me company, that some of the Serbs return," she added.

Since returning to Djakovica, Dragica Gasic has been exposed to constant threats and pressure from Albanians to leave her apartment. Knocking on the door in the middle of the night, prohibitions to trade the most basic groceries in the store, a petition by Albanian NGOs to leave Djakovica, a ban on renovating the apartment, and even installing armored doors for greater security, did not make Dragica give up her intention to survive in a city where lived until 1999, where she started a family.