November 11, 2006

KiM Info Newsletter 07-11-06

Serb Wounded In Letnica

Letnica, 9 Nov. (KIM Radio)

In village Letnica, near Kosovska Vitina, in southern Kosovo, this morning around 7:20, unknown persons using a fire arm, wounded 53 years old Kosovo Serb, Milorad Šopić, founds out KIM.

Šopić, with the head injuries, was transported to the Health house in Vrbovac, from where he was conscious while transported to the hospital in Vranje, according to Doctor Jelica Krčmarević. Injured Šopić was medically taken care of. According to the Doctors words, he has couple of wounds on his body and head, but his life is not in danger.

Šopić stated to KIM radio, that he heard three shoots from the hunting rifle; one bullet injured him while he was in his yard preparing food for the cattle.
He says that there are a lot of Albanians new comers from Macedonia living in Letnica, but he also states that only Croats and Serbs visit his restaurant. He does not suspect anybody, because he never had problems with anybody.

Spokesperson of KPS, Veton Elshani, confirmed to KIM radio that the attack occurred. "The police came to the place of the attack, and the investigation and the search for the person who committed the attack is still in progress", stated Elshani.

Šopić is displaced person form Vitina, where his house was burned in 2000 since when he lives with his wife, who is of Croatian nationality, with his father in law in Letnica. In village Letnica there are more than 50 Croats, and only one Serbian family with three members.

Members of Kosovo Police Service found the rifle which was used for shooting Milorad Shopic from Letnica near Kosovo Pomoravlje, and arrested three people suspected in connection with this incident.

Veton Elshani, KPS spokesperson, stated that police arrested three people in connection with this incident. "Around 16.00 hrs prosecutor called with an order for releasing two of the arrested. The other one is kept in prison for the attempted murder and owning a weapon without permit". Elshani said that the rifle was found in the suspect’s house but did not say if he was from Letnica.

Serb Beaten Up In Gnjilane

Gnjilane, 09 Nov (Glas Javnosti)

On Tuesday, around noon, in the center of Gnjilane, in front of the Rajfajzen Bank, Dragan Antic, Serb from the village of Ponesh, was beaten up while waiting in line for financial social aid. Antic is a psychologically challenged person.

Eye witnesses claim that while standing in line, formed only by Serbs, since Albanians always have advantage, Dragan started talking after what he was attacked by the bank guard from the Henderson agency who was joint by Albanian teenager in beating the Serb.
All beaten up Dragan was taken home with the help of the Serbs who were by him in the moment of the incident but feared defending him so that they do not get beaten up as well.

Around 40.000 Of Serbian People In Kosovo Without Telecom Signal

Kosovska Mitrovica, 9 Nov. (Politika)

Serbian Telecom Director of executive office in Kosmet, Ilija Ivanović, declared today to "Tanjug" that  around 40.000 Serbs stayed without signal 064. "We will talk with UNMIK, because the Serbian Telecom in Kosmet has a legal permit to work, and ask for protection of our property", stated Ivanović.
He emphasized that he asked for the compensation of the property, not only the cables that were cut, but the base stations in Pristina and Southern Kosovo were destroyed, "in a barbaric manner".

In two previous days, in Kosovo and Metohija, around 40.000 Serbs stayed without the signal of the mobile telephony "Telecom Serbia", and the representatives of the Kosmet Regulatory directory for telecommunications will continue to dismantle transmitters of this Serbian operator.

President of the Directory, Anton Berisha, declared today that in the accordance whit the UNMIK, all the antennas of the unlicensed operators on Kosmet will be removed, and they are located in the areas where Serbs are not the majority.
Brisha stated to Mitrovica radio "Contact plus", that  in the past two days the antennas of the unlicensed operators were removed form Pristina and Gnjilane, and that the crews are today in Prizren, and until the end of the week they will be in Đakovica and Peć.

On Thursday, Kosovo telecommunication regulatory commission terminated mobile phone network transmitters in Kosovo Pomoravlje. Commenting the termination Nenad Kojic, vice president of the Coordination Center for Kosovo and Metohija stated this presents additional pressure on the remaining Serbs. He added that rumors which it seems are consciously being send to the public are additionally increasing people’s fears. "Both facts scare us. There was a story there is going to be a repetition of the March violence and that it is going to happen on the 28th of November which is the Albanian Flag Day. We feel that the termination of the mobile phone network is foreplay to this event", said Kojic.

Kojic said there is a noticeable increased presence of KFOR and UNMIK.