Residents of Suvo Grlo: We are worried, we don’t know where we will receive treatment

A representative of the village of Suvo Grlo, Vasilije Tomasevic, told Kosovo Online that the local population is deeply concerned after the closure of the local clinic, which had been operating within the Serbian system, and that it remains uncertain how and where residents will receive medical treatment going forward. Nurse Gordana Tomasevic stated that, during the closure, inspectors emphasized that operations must be conducted under the Kosovo system.

Vasilije Tomasevic noted that inspection teams from the Municipality of Srbica and from Pristina arrived in jeeps and shut down the clinics in Suvo Grlo and Banje.

“They closed the clinics in Suvo Grlo and Banje, and removed the sign from the primary school in Banje that read ‘AP Kosovo and Metohija, Republic of Serbia.’ There were around four jeeps of health inspectors from the Municipality of Srbica and Pristina,” Tomasevic said.

He added that the population is frightened, particularly in light of recent events and the arrests of local residents.

“We are already vulnerable. About a month ago, there were arrests of local people. People are literally under pressure. We are very worried—it is not easy knowing that tomorrow there will be no doctor here, and that we do not know where our medical records will be kept for the continuation of therapy,” Tomasevic stated.

Nurse Gordana Tomasevic was at her workplace when inspectors entered and closed the clinic in Suvo Grlo.

“They came, told us we could not operate under the system of the Republic of Serbia and that we must work under the Kosovo system, then they closed the clinic and left,” she said.

She emphasized that the situation was distressing.

“It was not easy for me. What saddens me the most is that they came on Good Friday. I have not been working here for just a year—I have worked here for 38 years,” Gordana said through tears.

Earlier today, Kosovo inspection authorities closed the “Sveti Nikola” outpatient clinic in the village of Banje, in the municipality of Srbica, as well as the clinic in Suvo Grlo, on Good Friday. At the same time, signs were removed from the

“Milun Jaksic” Primary School in Banje and the Technical School in Srbica.

It should be recalled that just over a month ago, five Serbs were arrested in Suvo Grlo on charges of war crimes.