UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 2, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Kurti meets Quint ambassadors, informs them on November 29 attack (media)
U.S. and EU ambassadors address the media after meeting PM Kurti (media)
Kurti: Success in north increased Belgrade’s nervousness and aggression (RTK)
Rizvanolli: Municipalities supplied from Iber Lepenci could face cuts today (RFE)
Visibly smaller numbers of special police in Mitrovica North (media)
Rrustemi: Serbia orchestrating attacks, opposition minimizing them (Telegrafi)
Serb young man warns of new attacks in Kosovo (media)
Another suspect for attack in Iber-Lepenc arrested, police find weapons and ammunition (media)
AJK condemns death threat against journalist Berat Buzhala (Klan)
Gervalla to attend meeting of EP Foreign Affairs Committee (media)
Kurti: EU should show readiness to accept Kosovo's progress in the integration process (media)

Serbian Language Media:

Simic: Pristina uses explosion in Zubin Potok as an alibi for ‘crackdown’ on Serbs (RTS, Kosovo Online)
"It is no longer necessary for them to beat us or take out their guns, the time has come to say it is enough, let's go under the tent, this is no longer life" (KoSSev)
Raid in Mikronaslje: Jahirovic accuses police of “excessive use of force, discrimination and sexist harassment of his wife” (Radio kontakt plus, KoSSev, Radio KIM)
Kurti: I don’t know how far investigation has progressed; it’s too early, it’s still the weekend (Kosovo Online)
Djuric: Kurti made mistake in steps by accusing Belgrade for explosion, ‘we won’t let him go now’ (RTS)
Milovic: Kurti admitted he has no evidence, his goal is to accuse Serbia (Tanjug, TV Pink)
Miftaraj from KLI reacts to Kurti’s statements about KSF and the north (KoSSev)
Owner of Kosovo Online portal released from detention (media)
Mitrovica North and Zvecan without water supply again (KoSSev, Radio kontakt plus)
Prosecutor Stefanovic: I expect comprehensive investigation into water canal case; decision on indictment for Banjska soon (media)
Protest in front of Montenegrin Assembly over arrest of three young men from Niksic in Kosovo (KoSSev)

International:

Arrests follow as Kosovo attempts to repair damages following northern water pipe explosion (PI)
NATO rejects Pristina's request for Kosovar deployment to North (RFE)
Serbia rejects responsibility for a water supply explosion in Kosovo as tensions rise (AP)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti meets Quint ambassadors, informs them on November 29 attack (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti met today with Quint ambassadors in Kosovo to inform them and discuss the November 29 attack in Varage near Zubin Potok against critical infrastructure, namely the main water canal of Iber Lepenci. Kurti said “the goal of the attack was to damage the production of electricity and water supply in the biggest part of the country, being that it was the third attack in 72 hours against our Republic, following the attacks on November 26 and 28 against the police station in Zvecan and near the municipal premises”.

Kurti said that a similar attack against critical infrastructure was seen several days ago against the critical infrastructure of Ukraine, which was attacked by Russian missiles. He also said that indications show that the attack was carried out by professional groups and people supported and orchestrated by Serbia.

Kurti informed the diplomats that Kosovo Police are carrying out investigations and have already arrested several suspects related to the attack, as well as material evidence including weapons, explosives, uniforms and insignia of Russian military units. He said that criminals and terrorists will face justice and the power of law.

Kurti also highlighted the importance of arresting and extraditing “chief criminal and chief terrorist Milan Radoicic who roams freely in Serbia, and with the support of Belgrade and President Aleksandar Vucic organizes and plans continuous attacks against the Republic of Kosovo. Serbia continues to support terrorist groups with weapons, finances and logistics, which resulted in other attacks after Banjska, including the last terrorist attack on the Iber-Lepenci canal”.

Kurti thanked all international partners for their support for Kosovo.

U.S. and EU ambassadors address the media after meeting PM Kurti (media)

U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Hovenier told the media after meeting with Prime Minister Albin Kurti this morning: Good morning Prime Minister Kurti has just invited the diplomatic corps for a conversation and a briefing from the government on the horrendous attack on Friday evening. I just want to repeat a few things on behalf of the United States, and I believe my colleague from the European Union will have some things to repeat on behalf of the European Union. But on behalf of the United States I want to say what we have already said that we condemn as strongly as we possibly can this horrendous attack on Kosovo’s critical infrastructure, jeopardizing the country’s power supply, jeopardizing heat, jeopardizing drinking water. The United States supports a comprehensive investigation. We have offered our full support to the authorities of Kosovo in this investigation. We think it is important that those responsible are identified and held accountable. These violent actions are inexcusable. They put Kosovo’s citizens, they put people at danger, and we know they need to be held accountable. We commend the emergency response by the authorities of Kosovo and helping resolve what could have been a horrible situation. We stand ready to help the people of Kosovo as well in this. As we have said, we stand in solidarity with the government of Kosovo. We also welcome very much the support that has been provided by the European Union, EULEX, KFOR, and others, in support.

EU Ambassador Aivo Orav:

Good morning as my U.S. colleague said, we had a meeting with Prime Minister Kurti and the international community here. The Prime Minister had the opportunity to inform us about the developments on Friday evening and Friday night. So, from the European Union’s side, High Representative Borrell has made a statement loud and clear and I’m not going to repeat it because it was very much in the media already.

Asked if Serbia is behind the attack, Hovenier said: “at this point the United States is not in a position to say who is behind the attack. This is early on, and these things require careful investigation. What I can say is that we have offered our support to the authorities of Kosovo, and we think that it is important there be a very credible and thorough investigation to identify those responsible and make sure they are held accountable. What I can say at this point is we cant say who is responsible and we also are not in a position to exclude any particular group, or state, or anything else. It is too early, but we don’t know yet.

Asked if Serbia will face consequences, Hovenier responded: “I think I just said it. Again, we are not yet at a point to say who is responsible, but we can also not exclude any group or state from being responsible. Once it is determined who is responsible, we will work with the authorities to make sure that they are held accountable and that is a commitment from the United States, and I believe it is a commitment from other partners as well that we all want to see those responsible for what was a horrendous criminal act held accountable.

Kurti: Success in the north increased Belgrade’s Nervousness and aggression (RTK)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said during his speech at the Assembly that the success in establishing law and order in the north increased nervousness and aggression in Belgrade.

"This is continuing, once every month, then every week and now every day. The illegal municipalities of Serbia have been closed. We declared the criminal organizations "Civil Protection" and "Northern Brigade" terrorist organizations on June 29 of last year and their influence as organizations in northern Kosovo has been eliminated. This does not mean that there are still no criminal elements there. After 24 years, business registration and cadaster offices have been opened and functional in the four northern municipalities, and 6 branches of Serbian banks have been closed," Kurti said.

“Over 4 thousand Kosovo Serb citizens have surrendered their illegal license plates issued by Serbia and have been equipped with RKS license plates, and over 6 thousand citizens have been equipped with Kosovo driver's licenses, and this success of the state has increased the nervousness and aggressiveness in Belgrade”, he said.

Speaking about the foreign policy of his government Kurti said “we have successfully passed the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, we have advanced Kosovo's status in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. We have applied for membership in the EU and have joined 10 international organizations. We have been criticized for not having new recognitions, but you have to understand one thing: we did not promise either visa liberalization or new recognitions in the campaign”, he said.

“We have offered jobs to Ukrainian journalists and accepted 1,961 refugees from Afghanistan at the request of the US. It is not right to laugh when we talk about refugees,” the prime minister told the opposition.

Kurti also spoke about increasing the budget for defense and security. He said that the investment in armaments is being made ‘because of the aggressive northern neighbor that continues to deny crimes and continues to provoke.’

Rizvanolli: Municipalities supplied from Iber Lepenci could face cuts today (RFE)

Kosovo’s Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, said today that municipalities that are supplied with water from Iber Lepenci could face cuts today because of repair work on the water supply canal that was damaged during an attack on Friday night. The attack happened in the village of Varrage in the Serb-majority municipality of Zubin Potok.

Rrustemi: Serbia orchestrating attacks, opposition minimizing them (Telegrafi)

MP from the Vetevendosje Movement, Adnan Rrustemi, said in today’s session of the Kosovo Assembly, that the November 29 attack in Zubin Potok was a terrorist act and that some members of the opposition are minimizing it and trying to manipulate the public. “We as the majority in parliament condemn this terrorist act. Serbia must be held accountable for this attack. It is unfortunate that some members of the opposition have chosen to minimize this act and to manipulate the public, by trying to gain politically from a tragic situation that Serbia has orchestrated against us,” he said.

Visibly smaller number of special police in Mitrovica North (media)

Citing reports from Serbian media, several news websites report that special units of Kosovo Police are patrolling on the streets of Mitrovica North although in visibly smaller numbers compared to the two previous days. The situation in Mitrovica North is reported to be quiet.

Serb young man warns of new attacks in Kosovo (media)

Several news websites report that a Serb young man with a mask covering half of his face posted a video on Tik Tok saying that the explosive attack on Iber Lepenc was carried out by the so-called “Serbian Chetnik Resistance”. He warned of other acts and serious actions for the New Year holidays. “Banjska was just the beginning. We will start with serious actions around [Orthodox] Christmas. If you want to help us, send me a message,” he said in the video. Kosovo Police said they are aware of the video. Police Deputy Director for the north, Veton Elshani, told Klan Kosova that police are investigating the matter. “Police are in the north of the country, and it verifies and treats with seriousness every information,” he said.

The Serb youth said: “the Serbian Chetnik Resistance yesterday blew up the water supply canal. The consequences are there is no water in the southern part of Mitrovica (this is where Albanians live) and there is no electricity in several parts of Kosovo. You who do not like the Serbian people, you should be afraid, because we are many”. In another message, he said: “as we warned several months ago, we the people were organized because we can no longer tolerate the intimidation, arrests and executions of innocent Serbs. Every citizen has the constitutional right to resist occupying forces. They started the first guerilla actions, but this is only the beginning. Around [Orthodox] Christmas, a big action started. Oh Christmas you are near”.

Another suspect for attack in Iber-Lepenc arrested, police find weapons and ammunition (media)

The news website reports that another suspect for the attack on the Iber-Lepenc canal was arrested in the late hours of December 1. According to the police announcement, the suspect with the initials J.V., by order of the Prosecutor in charge of the Special Prosecution, was ordered to be held in police custody for 48 hours. It is also announced that in full cooperation and coordination with the Special Prosecution, a search was carried out in the house where the suspect lived, during which the following evidence and material evidence were seized: four hand grenades, a hunting rifle, over 500 pieces of ammunition of different calibers, two AK-47 automatic weapon magazines, a long rifle magazine, a radio connection.

Gervalla to attend meeting of European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee (media)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gervalla, traveled today to Brussels, to attend the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has announced that ‘Gervalla will present the current security situation in Kosovo, following Serbia’s attack on Kosovo’s critical infrastructure in Zubin Potok, addressing Serbia’s ongoing destabilizing actions and the necessity for the new institutions of the European Union to undertake immediate measures to prevent recurrence of such acts that endanger peace and stability in the region.’

"She will also reiterate the importance of accelerating the process of Kosovo's integration into the European Union as well as support for Balkan states with a pro-Western orientation," the MFA announced.

AJK condemns death threat against journalist Berat Buzhala (Klan)

The Association of Kosovo Journalists has condemned the death threat against journalist Berat Buzhala. Buzhala published a message he received on Facebook from an individual who threatened him.

“This is a very serious threat that endangers the safety of Buzhala and the media where he works, and the AJK calls on the Kosovo Police to seriously and urgently examine the case and hold the person in question accountable,” the association announced.

The AJK stressed that it is viewing with great concern the continued spread of hate speech and lynching against journalists, which mostly comes from the government ruling party officials.

“The AGK calls on the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, to stop lynching language against journalists and media in Kosovo, and for other officials of his party to do the same.”

Kurti: EU should show readiness to accept Kosovo's progress in the integration process (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has said that the European Union should show readiness to accept Kosovo’s progress towards EU membership. In the publication of the “White Book 2024” by the European Investors Council, Kurti said that Kosovo has shown readiness every day to join the EU and it has offered an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate the integration of Kosovo.

“We are aware that the last three years have been challenging globally, peace and security have been taken for granted in Europe for a very long time. But we in Kosovo especially know that they are not guaranteed. However we are lucky and grateful that in the midst of these challenges, the European Union has offered us an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate our integration. We are showing our readiness for membership in the European Union each day, and the European Union now seems to be showing its willingness to accept our progress in a process based on meritocracy,” Kurti noted.

Serbian Language Media

Simic: Pristina uses explosion in Zubin Potok as an alibi for ‘crackdown’ on Serbs (RTS, Kosovo Online)

The authorities in Pristina are using the explosion on the Ibar-Lepenac canal as an alibi for a crackdown on Kosovo Serbs, Serbian List official Igor Simic told RTS. He reported that the northern part of Kosovo on Saturday morning “resembled an occupied territory, with hundreds of heavily armed Albanian special forces officers patrolling the streets, demonstrating power and intimidating the Serbs”.

"Hundreds of heavily armed, monoethnic special forces officers are present on our streets, sent to the north, primarily to Kosovska Mitrovica and Zubin Potok, to demonstrate power and force", Simic told RTS.

He highlighted that at every intersection there are heavily armed individuals who do not speak Serbian, painting a distressing picture for Serbian children. Simic also noted that Friday's arrests “resembled brutal raids by bandits, leaving families traumatized”.

"What frightened the Serbs most were statements from certain Pristina politicians suggesting that the explosion issue should be resolved through an operation similar to 'Operation Storm.' We all know what Operation Storm brought — the expulsion of Serbs", Simic added.

"It is no longer necessary for them to beat us or take out their guns, the time has come to say it is enough, let's go under the tent, this is no longer life" (KoSSev)

“It is no longer necessary for them to beat us, or take out their guns. The moment has come for us to say it has been enough, we go to Serbia, under the tent, this is not a life any longer”, this is how Jelena Vlaskovic-Bascarevic from Ugljare village in Zubin Potok describes the situation. Kosovo special police units stormed the house of her father Lazar Bascarevic by mistake, while looking for persons suspected of explosion damaging the section of Ibar-Lepenac water canal.

Jelena said her mother Dragana, who suffers from diabetes and has an underlying chronic disease, same as her brother's family, suffered extreme stress. She added her brother who lives in that house, was revolted and does not want to make statements. As she noted, the family house was not the only one raided by mistake by Kosovo special police units. Previously they raided the house in Donje Varage village, also targeting the wrong house.

Stress and damages, we can expect this to continue happening every day

In her further testimony to the portal, Jelena described how police broke the entry door, entered the house, broke the bathroom door because a light was on. When her mother attempted to stand up from the bed she saw a long-barrelled weapon pointed at her face. “At the moment she did not realize what was happening, then she saw their helmets. She became stressed, got sick, and fell down. She told them not to go upstairs because children were there, but they went. They did not break doors, but broke the handles. My niece opened the room door, and they told her to go inside. At that moment, our yard was full of special police members, and later they all went upstairs”, she said.

“They threw my nephew on the floor, tied up my brother and pushed him to the ground. They showed him a photo of a man they are looking for, told him he is in that photo and that they are arresting him. They hit him twice to the head. When he saw another man in the photo, he asked them does he really look like that person? In the meantime the commander came, saw it was not a man they were looking for, they released him and went further to find that house”, she explained.

Jelena said they told her brother in a police station they will compensate for the damage, but no one came to apologize. She also said no one from the Serbian-run institutions came to visit them either.

“Kurti talks about democracy, entire Metohija is cleansed of Serbs, the turn came to the north’

Visibly upset, Jelena also asked how the life of Serbs is possible in those areas, same as co-existence with Albanians.

“I have been here ever since, I have completed school here, created a family, the situation has been the same, but we can not live with them in this way. If those are normal patrols and normal police officers, even if they are Albanians, no one would have anything against them, but this number of special police? What kind of special police are they when they raid homes of people, force their entries to the houses, show you the photo and raid two houses by mistake?”, she asked.

“(Albin) Kurti talks about democracy all the time, democratic society, coexistence of Serbs and Albanians and there are ethnically cleansed cities across the entire Metohija. And now the time has come for us in the north, this small number of people struggling to live here. Those who should fight for the interests of the Serbs, they are not here, they are in deal with him (Albin Kurti). All that is done is that we collect our belongings and leave. It is no longer necessary for them to beat us, or take out their guns. The moment has come that we say it is enough, we go to Serbia, to live under a tent, but this is no longer a life”, she added.

The KoSSev portal said Kosovo police did not officially confirm that they made this mistake, or that they will compensate for the damage they caused to the Bascarevic family.

Raid in Mikronaslje: Jahirovic accuses police of “excessive use of force, discrimination and sexist harassment of his wife” (Radio kontakt plus, KoSSev, Radio KIM)

Following an explosion damaging the section of Ibar-Lepenac water canal, in Zubin Potok municipality, Kosovo police carried out a number of raids in the north of Kosovo, Radio kontakt plus reported.

During the raids, eight persons have been arrested, including Gzim Jahirovic, resident of Mikronaselje settlement in Mitrovica North and deputy leader of Roma Initiative Party.

Jahirovic told Radio kontakt that during the police raid, he was subjected to “physical mistreatment, insults and threats, and his wife to sexist violence”. This happened, as he said, while police officers were searching his apartment without (court) order.

Everything started around 6.00 a.m. when police officers by mistake stormed the apartment of his brother Adam, who lives with his wife and child, across him. “They stormed my apartment, knocked me to the ground immediately. They handcuffed me, hit me in the back of the head. Asked me “Gzim where is your weapon?”. I told them I do not have it, and that my name is not Gzim. Told them Gzim is my brother and he lives across from me. They asked for my ID card. My pregnant wife and small child were terrified. When they were done with me, they moved to my brother”, Adem told Radio kontakt plus.

After that they knocked on the door of Gzim Jahirovic, who claims that upon their entry to the flat, one of the police officers hit him with the fist in the eye and ordered others to tie him up.

“There were six of them in uniforms, and two in plainclothes. They tied me with plastic handcuffs and took me to the bathroom, where three of them beat me up longer than an hour. They pushed me against the wall, with blows, and uttered insulting and discriminatory words. “Why do you live in the north? You should not be having this surname. Jahirovic is a Serbian surname. You, Gypsies should not be living. We will make sudzuk (a type of traditional meat sausage) from you”, Jahirovic told Radio kontakt plus.

He said that while police were searching his apartment, his underage children, son and two daughters have been crying.

“I do not know even what they were looking for. They were here for two and a half hours. There is no spot on my body that they did not hit. They looked at everything at my apartment. They checked phones, laptops….children were crying out of fear, but they did not care”, Jahirovic said.

He also claims his wife was exposed to “sexist comments and threats”. “They claimed that my wife threw something through the window. She did. Before they came, she threw a bag of rubbish through the window. They told her to get out and find what she threw away. When she found the bag, they told her to go to the bushes to look for what, as they claimed, had been missing. When she found nothing, but the bag with trash only, they continued to verbally harass her and utter sexist comments”, Jahirovic added. His wife confirmed his claims.

“Five of them were with me. One took off the cap and told me “You are so good, you are sexy. We will change your surname, name. I will take you naked to Kukavica hill (the hill where the miners monument is located above Mitrovica North) so everybody could see you”. They told me many other things", a 28-year old Sultana Jahirovic told Radio kontakt plus.

Jahirovic announced that today, together with his wife, he will file a complaint to Kosovo Police Inspectorate and seek justice. He added he was there on Saturday, but the Police Inspectorate did not work. He also said he has lost trust in police and fears for the safety of his family.

His defence lawyer Srdjan Mitrovic said he requested police inspector to send Jahirovic to medical examination, because he saw that Jahirovic has injures. “They said they will do it in my presence. But they did not, which is a violation of the rules. According to the Criminal Code, if a person requests medical examination, it has to be done. At the same time, he had visible injuries on his hands and the body. I believe him. I saw those injuries”, the lawyer added.

Kurti: I don’t know how far investigation has progressed; it’s too early, it’s still the weekend (Kosovo Online)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti told the press conference at the Kosovo Government last night that he does not know the progress of the investigation into the explosion at the Ibar-Lepenac canal because "it’s the weekend", Kosovo Online portal reported.

When asked by Kosovo Online, Kurti said that he is not a judge and does not know the status of the investigation.

"None of the police actions are aimed against anyone, whether Serbs or Albanians, as tabloids in Belgrade want to portray. They want to create the impression that the police side with Albanians and persecute Serbs. That is not true. Many Serbs call our police and report cases. I am not an investigative judge, and I do not know how far the investigations have gone—it’s the weekend, and the attack happened on Friday evening. It’s too early. But I am confident that our police officers and judges are working, and those for whom there is no evidence will be released", he said.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/l6eK6

Djuric: Kurti made mistake in steps by accusing Belgrade for explosion, ‘we won’t let him go now’ (RTS)

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric told RTS public broadcaster there is a trust between Serbian political-military leadership and international community and that it prevented Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s attempt of diversion in Kosovo.

Kurti has made a serious political mistake in his steps, because he accused Belgrade in advance of the explosion at Ibar-Lepenac water canal, Djuric said, adding that Belgrade demands an international investigation in relation to this incident.

“We won’t let him go easily now, we now want an international investigation, and we are ready to take part in the investigation”, Djuric said. He said there is still no reply to this offer, because they also know Belgrade has nothing to do with this incident and whoever took part in it will be prosecuted.

“It is important to say that irresponsible Kurti’s accusations point out lack of leadership responsibility, increased pressure on the Serbian community and arrests have started”, Djuric said. He also commented on his meeting with Quint states ambassadors. “The meeting with Quint ambassadors was good, they take the situation seriously, do not rush to accuse anyone. They thank Serbia for the help in investigation and removing consequences of what happened”, Djuric said.

He also opined that Kurti undermined his credibility among the international community by presenting false accusations against Serbia and its alleged involvement in the incident.

Milovic: Kurti admitted he has no evidence, his goal is to accuse Serbia (Tanjug, TV Pink)

Serbian List Vice President Dragisa Milovic said today Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti admitted with his statements that he “has no evidence for what he claimed that Serbia is behind the attack on Ibar-Lepenac water canal and that Serbs are terrorists”.

Milovic told TV Pink it had been confirmed what Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was saying and it is that Kurti’s goal was to deploy KSF units to the north of Kosovo, under the pretext that situation there can not be resolved differently, but that, as he said, luckily KFOR has rejected that request.

“It is all done to accuse Serbs without evidence, to create an alibi to raid Serbian homes as we have seen it done and where families suffered unseen stress. Without (court) orders police forces were storming the houses, breaking furniture. A man was arrested and sent to 30-day detention because they found wet boots and a hunting gun at his house, although he has an alibi he was not there”, Milovic said.

Miftaraj from KLI reacts to Kurti’s statements about KSF and the north (KoSSev)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti told a press conference last night that they are handicapped in the north “because our army cannot go there because of the promise of former prime minister Thaci”, KoSSev portal reported.

As the portal further writes, Ehat Miftaraj from Kosovo Law Institute (KLI) harshly reacted to those claims, saying that "in times of peace, the army, neither in the east nor in the west, nor in the north nor in the south, does not carry out 24-hour monitoring of objects of special importance".

Furthermore, according to Miftaraj, the prime minister "openly lies" and "deceives the citizens". He says Kurti is trying to take his failure elsewhere. “In any case it is an insult to the public and one prime minister came out and lied so openly, by deceiving citizens like that”, Miftaraj said.

Owner of Kosovo Online portal released from detention (media)

Dusan Milanovic from Leposavic, owner of the VIM Info Company in the Kosovo system which is a founder of Kosovo Online portal, has been released from detention this morning, Kosovo Online portal reported. He was arrested on November 30, and assigned 48-hour detention.

His defence lawyer, Dejan Vasic told the media earlier that Milanovic was accused of allegedly administering the “Koridor” group on Telegram platform and Kosovo authorities accuse him of “terrorism”.

His wife Marija told the media, following his arrest, that her husband was a man always helping those in trouble, organising activities for children and humanitarian actions for those in need of support. She added he did nothing wrong and never had problems with the law.

Mitrovica North and Zvecan without water supply again (KoSSev, Radio kontakt plus)

Mitrovica North, Zvecan and surrounding villages are without water supply again as of last night, director of Water Company Vodovod Ibar Zoran Vucinic told Radio kontakt plus. As he said, currently there is no information from the Regional Water Supply Company in Mitrovica South what are the reasons for the new disruption.

He confirmed that a certain number of consumers are receiving water from Gazivode lake with reduced capacity. “We have introduced restrictions last night, so the water coming from Gazivode would meet the needs of the Clinical Hospital Center in Mitrovica. Water would probably be available for consumers at lower floors. For now we do not have additional information”, he said.

Yesterday afternoon, 48 hours after the explosion which damaged the section of Ibar-Lepenac water canal in Zubin Potok municipality, Regional Water Supply Company from Mitrovica South said the water supply had been stabilized and returned to normal. The same company did not provide any new details this morning, the portal recalled.

Meanwhile, the portal reported that Regional Water Supply Company said works which are being carried out on the damaged section of the Ibar-Lepenac water canal were the reason for new disruption. Those works have been completed and it is expected water supply will be stabilized by noon today.

Prosecutor Stefanovic: I expect comprehensive investigation into water canal case; decision on indictment for Banjska soon (media)

The Chief Prosecutor of the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade, Nenad Stefanovic, emphasized in an interview with Kosovo Online that he expects Serbian authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation to determine the truth and all relevant facts regarding the explosion at Ibar-Lepenac water canal in Zubin Potok. Asked if there would be an investigation into this case Stefanovic responded he expects that relevant authorities of the Republic of Serbia will conduct a thorough investigation to establish the truth and all pertinent facts related to this incident.

Asked by the portal about the status of the Banjska case investigation, Stefanovic said that the investigation has been launched against Milan Radoicic concerning the events of September 24, 2023, in Banjska, Zvecan. More than 40 procedural actions have been undertaken during the investigation. The Prosecutor’s Office will decide on filing an indictment at the end of this year or early next year. In this regard, I expect adequate cooperation with EULEX. He also said that the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade contacted EULEX, requesting complete documentation related to the critical events of September 24, 2023, in Banjska.

Specifically, to provide legal assistance, we have requested records of the scene investigation, photo documentation, autopsy reports of all deceased individuals, medical reports of all injured persons, and expert reports on weapons, ammunition, and explosive devices. We have also requested records of interrogations of the accused and testimonies of witnesses. The investigation order accuses Radoicic of committing three criminal offenses with other unidentified persons: organizing to commit criminal offenses, unauthorized production, possession, carrying, and trafficking of firearms and explosives, and serious offenses against public safety.

Protest in front of Montenegrin Assembly over arrest of three young men from Niksic in Kosovo (KoSSev)

A youth Orthodox organization “On Paths of Joy in the Land of Living” from Niksic organized a protest today in Podgorica in front of the Montenegrin Assembly to extend support to three young men from Niksic who were arrested in Kosovo, after attending celebration at Visoki Decani Monastery. They were sent to 30-day detention, as on their licence plates there was inscription “Kosovo is Serbia”, KoSSev portal reported.

The gathered people requested the Montenegrin state to protect its citizens so they all can freely visit their holy places. This youth organization for the past four years has been organizing visits to Serbian and Greek Orthodox shrines.

Montenegrin Assembly Speaker Andrija Mandic in a post on X social platform said he extends his full support to the justified requests of the Orthodox youth organization. He also said that since the moment of the arrest he is doing all he can, as Assembly Speaker, that the responsible ministry of the Montenegrin Government “brings back innocently imprisoned citizens of Montenegro and members of our army to their homes and families”.

The three young men from Niksic are accused by Pec prosecution of “inciting hatred and intolerance”.

International

Arrests follow as Kosovo attempts to repair damages following northern water pipe explosion (PI)

Kosovo Police announced arrests after an explosion on Friday evening in the Ibër-Lepenc water canal in northern Kosovo caused significant damage to critical infrastructure essential for the country’s water and energy supply, sparking international condemnation, and emergency measures on securing essential facilities.

Following raids in different locations, Kosovo Police on Saturday said they arrested several individuals after an explosion on Friday evening caused significant damage to the Ibër-Lepenc water canal in the northern municipality of Zubin Potok. The canal supplies several towns through the Ujman Lake, as well as the Kosovo Energy Corporation, KEK, for cooling its power plants, ‘Kosova A’ and ‘Kosova B.’

“Police are investigating [the case]. There have been raids and arrests, [there is] material evidence and all those criminals and terrorists will face justice,” Kurti said during a visit to the scene near Zubin Potok on Saturday.

The number of arrests had not been made public by the end of publication.

On Friday evening, Kurti called a press conference just before midnight and accused Serbia of a “criminal and terrorist attack,” which, according to him, aimed to damage what is possibly the country’s most important infrastructure.

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NATO rejects Pristina's request for Kosovar deployment to North (RFE)

NATO's mission in Kosovo says it has withheld authorization for a request by Pristina to deploy the ethnically fractured country's national security body, the Kosovo Security Force (KSF), to the Serb-majority northern region where an explosion last week damaged a water canal and ratcheted up tensions.

Kosovar officials have accused neighboring Serbia of involvement, without providing evidence -- a charge Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic rejected before vowing to conduct an investigation and hinting cryptically, "We have information about who might be the perpetrator."

NATO's KFOR mission confirmed to RFE/RL's Kosovo Service on December 1 that Kosovar authorities had asked to deploy the KSF to the northern area of Zubin Potok, a region where the transatlantic alliance and European civilian mission EULEX have helped keep the peace for years.

“The KFOR Commander has not given such authorization, based on his security assessment and the actions already undertaken by KFOR," the NATO force said in a written response.