”The information presented by the Kosovo Police in its own latest press release is not at all in line with our information on the events, and no concrete evidence has so far been shared with the United Nations by relevant Kosovo police and other Kosovo authorities,” replied UNMIK to Kossev portal’s question on the Zubin Potok events.
Kossev reported on Saturday that Kosovo Police accused UNMIK official Mikhail Krasnoshchekov of helping “violent protesters” by parking his official vehicle “in the middle of the road, in front of suspects and barricades,” and that he had repeatedly ignored the request of the police officers to move the vehicle from the road as well as to present himself. Moreover, the police claimed that “it was noticed that a chainsaw was taken from the fellow travellers side of the UN vehicle,” with which the suspects cut off the tree and placed it as a barricade.
“In view of the fact that the UN is already involved in enquiries to determine the precise circumstances surrounding the arrest of and injuries to its two staff members, the Mission will not comment on or characterize the details being reported publicly, from any source, at this stage,” UNMIK noted.
The Zubin Potok event, when members of the Kosovo Police conducted the operation ”Smuggling” in a place known as “Klisura” on the main road barricades were placed as an obstacle to the Kosovo Police to pass that route, reported KoSSev.
While the police claim that it worked according to regulations, without specifying the methods and specific persons over which the force was applied, during and after this action, several citizens testified about the excessive use of force, including the arrested Serbs themselves.
“We repeat that, regardless of other facts, it is very clear that the inviolable rights of immunity of the two staff members from arrest and detention has been violated, along with other protocols, despite the clear identification of these persons as United Nations staff. The evidence strongly suggests excess and unjustifiable use of force by arresting officers,” concluded UNMIK in a reply to Kossev inquiry on Saturday.
Kossev portal reported that Kosovo authorities declared Krasnoshchekov persona non grata and claimed further that UN official was “a camouflaged spy”.
