NGOs: Demolition of “Jezero” motel on Faruk Mujka’s orders undermined Kosovo’s constitutional and legal order

Non-governmental organizations from northern Kosovo, the Center for Affirmative Social Actions (CASA), the New Social Initiative (NSI), the Institute for Territorial Economic Development (InTER) and AKTIV, have called on the relevant institutions to investigate the circumstances surrounding the demolition of the “Jezero” motel and other facilities in the area of Lake Gazivode, assessing that these actions violated Kosovo’s Constitution and laws.

In a joint statement, they said that the demolition of the “Jezero” motel, carried out on the orders of Faruk Mujka, director of the public water management company “Ibar-Lepenac”, was unlawful.

“We inform the public in Kosovo that, through the unlawful demolition of the ‘Jezero’ hotel, carried out on the orders of Faruk Mujka, director of the public water management company ‘Ibar-Lepenac’, the constitutional and legal order in Kosovo has been undermined, as it clearly defines the conditions under which public and private property may be demolished. In his unlawful actions, Mr. Mujka and those who instructed him instrumentalized the Kosovo Police and the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure,” the statement said.

The organizations called on the Kosovo Prosecutor’s Office to investigate what they described as the unconstitutional and unlawful activities of the “Ibar-Lepenac” director related to the demolition of facilities on Lake Gazivode and to take appropriate legal measures.

“We call on the prosecution to investigate Mr. Mujka’s unconstitutional and unlawful activities related to the demolition of facilities on Lake Gazivode and to take appropriate legal action in order to stop the arbitrary actions of the ‘Ibar-Lepenac’ director and initiate criminal proceedings in accordance with the law. We also call on the Kosovo Police Inspectorate to launch an investigation into the conduct of the Kosovo Police during the unlawful demolition of facilities on Lake Gazivode and garages in North Mitrovica. We call on the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the inspectors who participated in Mr. Mujka’s arbitrary actions,” the statement said.

Workers from the “Ibar Lepenac” company, accompanied by the Kosovo Police and EULEX, demolished the “Jezero” motel and beach bar at Gazivode today, while another 11 holiday homes had previously been demolished in the area.