Police summon Director of Municipal Inspection in North Mitrovica; Orlovic: Pressure on our work

Veljko Orlovic, Director of the Municipal Inspection in North Mitrovica, was summoned today to give a statement at the police station after the inspection ordered the suspension of construction works near the Church of St. Demetrius due to a lack of documentation. Orlovic responded to the summons and, after giving his statement to the police, told reporters that the move represented pressure on the municipality and its inspectors.

The municipal inspection announced on Friday, March 6, that it had halted construction works at the site near Kukavica because the necessary approvals had not been obtained. However, the works resumed today, prompting inspectors to return to the site, after which police officers who appeared there instructed them to come to the police station.

After giving his statement, Orlovic explained that despite the decision of the Directorate for Inspection to suspend the works, construction activities at the Kukavica site had continued today even though the investor had not met the conditions required for the works to resume. For that reason, the inspection again went to the site and once more halted the construction.

“On Friday we carried out our inspection at the Kukavica location, where construction works are underway for a school building. During the inspection we identified numerous irregularities, starting with construction safety standards. The protective fence had not been properly installed, and children constantly pass by and play there. When we arrived, we found children at the site, and in addition there was an excavator digging and dumping soil on a municipal plot, a public surface belonging to the municipality, for which the investor and the contractor did not have the necessary permits to use the land. We stopped the works at that time and imposed summary fines,” Orlovic said.

He explained that the agreement had been for the investor to come to the municipality so that officials could determine which documentation was missing in order for the works to continue.

Instead, the investor resumed construction today without the required permits, and after the inspectors arrived on site, the police also appeared and ordered Orlovic to come to the police station.

“Despite that ban, they continued with the works today, with excavation and dumping of soil on the plot. While we were again drafting the report and speaking with the people present, the workers on the site, the police arrived even though we had not called them. Usually when we call them for other cases they do not provide assistance and simply do not respond. When they arrived this time, the police requested that we come to the station for a discussion, which represents pressure on the municipality, on my inspectors, and on me personally. I believe they could have done all of that by coming to the municipality so that we could show what documentation we have and what steps are needed for the works to continue,” Orlovic emphasized.

He reiterated that the investor had not fulfilled the requirements imposed by the inspection, which made today’s intervention necessary.

“The works have once again been halted and the site has been cordoned off with tape. Despite our ban, the police still claim that the works must continue, even though we have prohibited them. We will see how the situation develops further—whether the police will allow it or not. We will continue with our procedures. The court is there to decide who is right. If we were not in the right, we would not be doing this,” Orlovic concluded.