The deadline for the submission of the requests for the legalization of the illegally built facilities in Kosovo has been extended till 11 June, and among dozens of thousands of claimants is a number of Serbs.

The main problem they are faced with is that the biggest number of Serb claimants fled from Kosovo in 1999 and consequently lack information on conditions, or legalization criteria. When asked how to help the Serbs to solve the legalization of their property Minister in Kosovo government for environmental and spatial planning Ferid Agani replied: “A series of actions were lunched on all levels, with the aim of informing the citizens about the legalization of illegally built facilities. The proof about the successful beginning of the process is huge turnout of citizens, including the Serbs,” said Agani.

Considering the fact that almost all residential and business facilities are property of the displaced Serbs, we asked Agani does that mean that usurpers are allowed to legalize those facilities and subsequently the whole process become legalization of usurped property.

“That is not possible,” categorically claims Agani. “According to the Law on legalization of the illegally built property, legalization cannot include any decision related to the property issues. If the facility is the subject of lawsuit, the property issues belong to the owner based on the final Court judgement.”