Serbian national broadcaster RTS continues its serial on usurped properties in Kosovo, this time focusing on Mitrovica, featuring some of the cases.
Usurpation of Serb properties in Kosovo and Metohija is ongoing for two decades. There are thousands of court cases opened, while lawyers from Free Legal Aid advise their clients to check every six months in cadastral records, if their properties are still under their names, RTS reports.
Mitrovica is divided town, separated by the Ibar River. Serbs from the southern part were expelled and their properties usurped.
Slobodan Aksentijevic owned two houses, a restaurant and other property. “He made falsified documentation, allegedly he bought something, and now he is seeking 40.000 euros from me to vacate my property. I do not have that money, nor I would give it to him,” Aksentijevic told RTS.
“There is a woman in my flat and she is taking rent of 150 euros. We have submitted a claim to reposes my property and return to my flat, however, I received no response,” Bransilav Spasojevic told RTS.
Jasmina Galjak left the apartment as it became usurped. She addressed Free Legal Aid for help, as she could not handle on her own.
The most drastic example of usurpation and lack of rule of law happens in the village of Miroc, nearby Vucitrn town.
“The problem in Miroc village is that one Albanian took entire village, usurped all Serb properties. My family only, Miladinovic, owns around 40 hectares of land,” Milutin Miladinovic told RTS.
Ljubisa Miladinovic was beaten up when he went to visit the property.
“They are getting rich by using our properties, we have no rights, we have no one to complain to,” Ljubisa Miladinovic from Miroc village told RTS.
Due to the extent and circumstances of the problem, Free Legal Aid teams often say their work resembles that of Sisyphus.
“Individuals give themselves the right to take away what does not belong to them, institutions are not reacting either. There is no place in entire Kosovo and Metohija without usurped Serb properties, Miljana Cvetkovic from Free Legal Aid told RTS.
