Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Đurić has called on the international community to intervene following the demolition of a structure near Lake Ujman, accusing Kosovo’s authorities of disregarding both the rule of law and the rights of Kosovo Serbs.
The reaction came after Kosovo authorities demolished a building in the Ujman area, stating that it had been constructed without the necessary permits on property owned by the public water management company Ibër Lepenci.
According to Đurić, the demolition is part of what he described as a broader pattern of actions by the government of acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti targeting the Serbian community in Kosovo.
“With these demolitions, the Kurti government has once again demonstrated its disregard for the rule of law and the rights of Kosovo Serbs,” Đurić said.
He claimed that, in recent days, authorities had demolished Serbian-owned properties near Lake Gazivoda despite ongoing court proceedings and warnings from the European Union, carried out what he described as unauthorized works within the protected zone of the Visoki Dečani Monastery, and introduced new administrative barriers affecting pilgrims of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Đurić argued that these were not isolated technical issues but part of “a deliberate pattern of pressure” on the property rights of Kosovo Serbs, freedom of religion, and the protection of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
He called on the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and NATO’s KFOR mission to respond decisively within their respective mandates to safeguard the rule of law.
Regarding the works near the Visoki Dečani Monastery, Deçan Mayor Bashkim Ramosaj said on Tuesday that the activities were routine road maintenance works. He stated that monastery representatives had been informed in advance and that the maintenance had been completed after two days.
