Naser Sertolli writes in an editorial that the problem of Mitrovica’s division has only one address, that of Kosovo Government led by Hashim Thaci. He says all events in Mitrovica are somehow linked to Thaci: when the ethnic partition of the city began, Thaci was prime minister of the provisional government. He was prime minister also when the barricade was placed and he is still prime minister, although an outgoing one, when the barricade took on a different form, that of a botanic garden.

Petrit Selimi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo, For Danas on the unrest in Mitrovica

Pristina, Belgrade - The situation in Mitrovica was tense, but we should not surrender our political agenda to provocateurs.

Ksenija Bozovic believes that the unrest occurred due to premature removal of the barricades on the Ibar/Iber Bridge that connects North and South Mitrovica.

Pointing out that people were not involved in the removal of barricades from the bridge over the Ibar/Iber River, North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly President Ksenija Bozovic (CI SDP) says that trust is not yet built between Albanians and Serbs, and that it was not time of the removal of barricade.

“Park of Peace represents a reflection of the rude cynicism,” said political analysts and lawyer Azem Vllasi. He added that what happened on Sunday in Mitrovica was absolutely unnecessary and resulted as an inadequate police intervention.

“It seems to be the result of an unprofessional intervention of the police and detailed investigation should follow, because clashes should not take place. Citizens have come to protest due to the closure of the main bridge,” explained Vllasi.

All issues can be resolved through dialogue, hence full freedom of movement in the peaceful town is in everyone’s interest, said Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo Slobodan Petrovic.

OSCE representative for media freedom Dunja Mijatovic condemned the attack on journalists, during demonstrations in Kosovska Mitrovica, and expressed concern for their safety. She also requested guaranteed security for the journalists who report from the demonstrations. 

The paper’s editor-in-chief Arbana Xharra says that the Mitrovica bridge has been ‘captured’ once again, easily and in the presence of international community and the Kosovo Police. This reconfirms that the north of Kosovo is increasing its chances of remaining outside the legal system of the country. While the construction of the so-called Peace Park was underway in Mitrovica, security forces played the role of the spectator and actually provided security for the Serbs bringing in supplies needed to place the concrete containers in the bridge.

Augustin Palokaj writes in a column for the paper that people in Kosovo are becoming increasingly agitated when they hear leaders promising something will happen ‘very soon’. They have been hearing the term used for many years now with regards to the visa liberalization and to European integrations. Most recently, they heard the notion being applied to the removal of the new barricade in Mitrovica.

The situation in Mitrovica appears to be calm today, after yesterday’s clashes between the protesters and the police. KFOR and police forces have moved at “The park of peace.”

PRISTINA - A total of 13 police officers, 6 protesters and 2 reporters were injured in the protest in southern Kosovska Mitrovica near the main bridge on the Ibar River on Sunday.

Spokesman of the Kosovo Police Service for southern Mitrovica Avni Zahiti said that 5 people have been arrested so far but the police reports are not final yet, media reported.

As the consequence of the use of flammable substances by protesters, four vehicles were set on fire, two of them belonging to the Kosovo Police Service, one owned by EULEX and one more in UNMIK possession, Zahiti said.