A group of Albanian youngsters for days mistreats Serbian children playing in a playground in the upper part of Orahovac town and in front of the Serbian Orthodox Church there, RTV KIM learnt from a group of parents who initiated petition, addressed to the Kosovo police, seeking protection for their children.

Around hundreds of parents and other citizens have decided to initiate petition due to frequent verbal and physical attacks against Serb children by Albanian boys in Orahovac town. The petition would be submitted today.

The mistreatments range from verbal attacks, including swearing and uttering different insults, and two days ago threats “to use metal brass knuckles” also surfaced, the parents noted in a letter addressed to the police and Interim Council of Orahovac Municipality.

The parents added, that a Serb young man, Nikola Matic, who got involved to defend his brother and other children, was arrested and later set free.

“At the moment when a boy with metal brass knuckles approached him, he pushed him away and hit him. The boys dispersed and then the father of the Albanian boy after uttering threats and verbal insults reported the case to the police that arrested Nikola Matic,” parents explained.

The mentioned playground, following the conflict, was reconstructed by UNMIK to provide to isolated Serbian youth at that time an area for recreation and sports. Later the school took over the playground, paying a rent to the owner of a land plot, so children could attend physical education lessons in the absence of a sports hall.

However, the parents noted, the playground is less and less used by those it is intended for, Serbian children, who are being expelled from a playground by other boys and youngsters who come there from other parts of the town, RTV KIM reported.