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Ethnic cleansing behind communal problems (RTS)

Municipal authorities in Vushtrri/Vucitrn recently demolished two houses owned by Serbs and have damaged one. Homeowners say that they have not been previously informed, that they did not give consent, and that it is a systematic persecution of Serbs from the city, not the communal problems.

House of Dragisa Murganic was demolished to the ground, and the family house Staletovic next to it.

"Nobody contacted me, despite the fact that half of the city, half of the municipality knows who I am, what I am, where I work," said Dragisa Murganic, the owner of the house in Vushtrri/Vucitrn.

Dragisa Murganic lives 12 kilometers from Vushtrri/Vucitrn, in Mitrovica. His and Staletovic’s house were destroyed because, according to the ruling, they pollute the environment and pose a physical danger to pedestrians.

Councillor of the Serbian List in Vushtrri/Vucitrn municipality, Zoran Rakic said that they have been told that the owners of parcels were not informed about the destruction, due to an unknown address. "That's their excuse," said Rakic.

Owners of demolished houses indicate that municipal authorities tolerate the illegal use of their property. The municipal administration did not remove car wash from Staletovic's plot, for which the Albanian owner does not have permission of the property owner.

In another part of the town, municipal government halved the house belonging to Staletovic family in order to build a sidewalk.

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija is familiar with the problem of displaced Serbs from Vushtrri/Vucitrn. Marko Djuric, Director of the Office for KiM, said that he expects reaction from the international community to the operation of the local government. He also said that Serbian representatives in Kosovo should raise the issue at the highest level.