Serbs employed in Serbian public institutions in North Mitrovica are protesting outside the police station in North Mitrovica following the arrest of two Serbian politicians on August 8.
Among the protesters are leaders of the Serbian List, the main party of Serbs supported by Belgrade. Aleksandar Arsenijević and Stefan Vellković from the Serbian Democracy Party were arrested in North Mitrovica, confirmed Veton Elshani, Deputy Director of the Kosovo Police for the northern region, to Radio Free Europe.
Elshani stated that they were arrested for obstructing municipal workers who were painting near the main bridge over the Iber River.
According to Elshani, Arsenijević obstructed the municipal workers in North Mitrovica and refused police orders. Both were arrested near the main bridge over the Ibar River where municipal workers were painting.
It is reported that these politicians obstructed the painting of the Serbian flag near the bridge.
The arrest of Arsenijević and Vellković occurred on the day when a debate on the opening of the bridge over the Iber River was held in North Mitrovica.
Before the debate began, members of Arsenijević’s party went to the North Mitrovica municipality and asked Elshani to explain why the two party members were arrested.
The debate included representatives from the Kosovo Government, the municipality of North Mitrovica, with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti urging Serbs to participate and express their concerns, which would be addressed by institutional representatives and the country’s institutions.
