Pristina has continued unlawful demolitions of Serb-owned properties - gov't office

BELGRADE, - The Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija said Pristina had on Friday continued unlawful and forcible demolitions of Serb-owned properties at Gazivode Lake in the Zubin Potok municipality, which residents had built and acquired over decades.

"Properties were simultaneously unlawfully confiscated in Zvecan under the pretext that they belong to the company Trepca," a government statement said.

"These actions in Zubin Potok and Zvecan indicate that the international community, which in the previous period supposedly 'strongly condemned' such unilateral actions by Albin Kurti’s authorities, must move from words to deeds and take concrete steps to stop Pristina’s terror and violations of the law, as this is the only way to curb arbitrary actions and protect the rights of Serbs.

The violation of the Serbs’ rights is further illustrated by the fact that media outlets seeking to report on this latest escalatory move by Pristina at Gazivode Lake were prevented from filming the demolition of Serb-owned properties because the entire access route was blocked by the so-called Kosovo police, which deployed armoured vehicles at the entrance to the village," it said.

The Office noted that it would again inform all relevant international representatives of the developments.

"Our representatives on the ground, including our Srpska lista, remain in contact with the families affected and we will find a way to help them," it said.