Gazivode: Deadline for demolition of 11 more objects; 'continuous wound' for locals

A deadline looms for the demolition of 11 more structures in the villages of Kovače and Rezala, situated on the shores of the Gazivode Lake. Owners of these properties received warnings from the Ibar-Lepenc company to vacate their premises. The deadline expires at midnight, after which demolition is possible.

At least two families have sought a temporary injunction from the court in Pristina to halt the demolitions pending the conclusion of legal proceedings, but their requests have been denied. One family visited by N1 had already moved out their belongings, expressing deep emotional attachment to their home and uncertainty about the future. They noted that their old house was demolished when the Gazivode Lake was created, and while they possess ownership papers according to the Serbian system, they lack them under the Kosovo system.

Milica Andrić Rakić, director of the New Social Initiative, informed N1 that police have contacted the families to verify if they have removed their belongings. "They (the families) expect that a bulldozer will arrive tomorrow and begin the demolition process," she said. "Unfortunately, the wider public also expects this, as the court has once again refused to issue a temporary measure and halt any change in the situation until this court proceeding is resolved, which was also the case in previous demolition incidents. It is truly regrettable that this group of families will not receive the right to legal remedy and protection in accordance with the regulations and laws in Kosovo."

Andrić Rakić added that residents in Zubin Potok are very upset and intimidated. She described the Gazivode situation as a "continuous wound" for the people there. "When the lake was created, it was done against the interests of the local community. Hundreds of houses were demolished then, the debt for Gazivode was very high, and Yugoslavia paid it off for years, decades. Serbia inherited this debt and paid it until the early 2000s, and now again. It comes for Serbian homes, Serbian houses are being demolished, and it seems that this Gazivode debt will never, ever be paid off," she stated. She explained that one side is paying for everything and continuously suffering damage, as the Municipality of Zubin Potok loses access to its resources and development opportunities. "It turns out that the community derives only harm from this lake; it cannot somehow benefit from it in any way, and thus it is a continuous wound for the people in Zubin Potok."