North Mitrovica Municipality Demands Halt to Demolitions, Cites Invalid Permits

Bulldozers are actively demolishing local businesses in the Bošnjačka mahala neighborhood of North Mitrovica, with several structures already reduced to rubble. The ongoing destruction has prompted an urgent response from the Municipality of North Mitrovica, which asserts that the demolition work is proceeding without a valid permit and has issued an order for its immediate cessation.

The affected properties are located on the right side of the street leading to the Railway Bridge, near the Emona store. The Municipality stated that it acted after receiving complaints from concerned citizens regarding the planned construction of residential buildings on the site. Anđela Zuvić, head of the cabinet for the President of the Municipality, announced that the Directorate for Inspection had requested municipal documentation related to the demolition and new construction.

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With this in regard, the municipal inspection has gone to the field and ordered the contractor to immediately halt any activities until further notice.

According to the current municipal leadership, the entire procedure, from land rezoning to the issuance of demolition and construction permits, was handled by the previous administration. They claim that a review of the case files revealed the demolition permit had expired on August 18, 2025. Furthermore, checks on the Kosovo geoportal indicated that the demolished structures were on municipal land for which the contractor had allegedly never received a demolition permit.

In response, the municipal inspection team visited the site and ordered the contractor to halt all activities. The municipality's legal team is examining the documentation and suspects numerous procedural irregularities, announcing plans to initiate criminal proceedings against those involved in the alleged illegal actions. Meanwhile, Kosovo Police intervened, taking individuals from both sides to a police station for questioning, stating their actions were to verify the situation and maintain public order, not to assist in the demolitions.

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The police confirmed that they took people found at the scene – from both sides – to the station. They emphasize that this is not an arrest, but solely a verification of what exactly is happening on the ground.