Residents of Zajm, in the municipality of Klinë, staged a protest on Sunday over disputed property ownership, temporarily blocking the Pejë–Prishtinë highway before being dispersed by police.
The protesters claim that their land is being sold to other individuals without their consent, raising concerns about what they describe as unlawful transactions involving their properties.
According to the residents, their parents purchased the land during the 1960s and 1970s from members of the Serbian community. While some families have managed to register the properties back under their names, others are still struggling with unresolved legal procedures. So far, five properties have reportedly been sold to individuals known to the villagers.
Residents said they first learned about some of these transactions after noticing a sign placed on one of the plots labeled “private property” along with a phone number.
The villagers are now demanding that around 30 properties be returned to their rightful owners, while also calling on prosecutors to investigate those who allegedly bought the land illegally.
One resident, Asllan Morina, said that two ares of his land in a forested area were taken over by another person, who later sold it to a buyer from Gjakovë after learning that the case had already reached court. The property has reportedly been placed under a mortgage until 2039.
Meanwhile, the head of the village’s local community council, Met Krasniqi, called on the court, prosecution, and police to take action within one month. He warned that if institutions fail to respond, the protesters may escalate their actions and “act according to the Kanun.”
Krasniqi also said that families in the village are living in fear, with children worried they could be forced out of their homes.
Residents warned that future protests could become more confrontational if authorities do not intervene and resolve the dispute.
