29 returnee houses have been broken into in village Ljevoša near Peć/Pejë. The case was reported by a local Albanian who lives in the village.

Ranko Bakić, the village representative who is currently dwelling in Serbia proper, said to RTK2 that his Albanian neighbor called him and informed that his house was broken into, after what he contacted a police station in Peć/Pejë where he got the confirmation about the house been broken into and information that there was no major material damage.

“We are scared and disappointed and I don’t know what to do after this attack on our village and whether we’ll go back at all. Houses, belonging to people who live in Ljevoša permanently, have also been broken into. I call on international community, Ministry for Communities and Return, Kosovo government, Serbian Government and all relevant factors to undertake necessary measures in order that we can survive there,” Bakić said.

Kosovo Police spokesperson for Peć/Pejë, Dzevat Ibra, confirmed to RTK2 that investigation is ongoing. “Houses have been broken into, but it is not known whether household items have been taken away, since owners are currently dwelling in Serbia. Investigation is ongoing, whereas information and material evidences are being collected for the purposes of identification and detention of suspects. Police patrols are intensified in Ljevoša, Siga and Brestovik, villages populated with Serbs,” Ibra said.

Minister for Communities and Return Dalibor Jevtić condemned the incident. “Safety of a private property and security of each citizen, are the basic human rights aspired by a civilized society. What happened in Ljevoša is absolutely opposed to our aspirations. Breaking into 29 houses, that is, breaking into all houses in a village is an act equal to a catastrophe which points out on weak institutions, which are supposed to provide security to citizens,” Jevtić stated.

Thirty Serbs have returned to Ljevoša in 2005 and 30 houses have been renovated, too. Currently there are 15 Serbs living in the village, out of 280 who used to live there before the conflict in 1999.