Exploiting lands north, CUIN, EU rebuke Government

Embassys of the states of QUINT [CUINT] The US, United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy], the European Union Office and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation Mission in Europe in Kosovo on June 6th have criticised Kosovo's government for its decision to finalise the expropriation of over 100 parcels in Serb majority municipalities in the country's north.

A day earlier, Radio Free Europe reported on the Kosovo Government's final decision to expropriate lands in Leposaviq and Zubin Potok, which excludes some private parcels, but only those citizens who have won the process in court.

In QUINT, EU and O'S statement The SEU reportedly has violated its laws and regulations due to procedural and technical shortcomings during the expropriation process. We note that Kosovo's judicial system has identified similar legal concerns with the preliminary decision of expropriation, which the Government has yet to address”.

The Kosovo government has begun the expropriation process in the municipality of Leposaviqi and Zubin Potok in mid-January 2023, when some land there has declared “real estate with particular public interest necessary for the realisation of infrastructure projects with public interest”.

Given the Government's preliminary decision, the overall area of the planned expropriation has been around 104 hectares in Leposavic and about 33 hectares in Zubin Potok.

But in the final decision of the Kosovo Government on May 30th, it is said that 96 hectares, meaning eight hectares less, will be exhumed in Leposaviq.

“While some of the property of the application exhibitors was removed from the final decision of expropriation, we regret that the Government of Kosovo did not expect all open judicial procedures to be fully tried before taking that decision”, the statement said.

Among other things, it is stressed that it is the <x0 will remain so that Government can make efforts to ensure that expropriation activities are in line with law”.

It adds that the right process should be followed and that the owners' property rights be fully respected.

Kosovo's Appeals Court has confirmed on June 5th that considering a Constitutional Court ruling on this issue is still under way.

Kosovo Government spokesman Progress Kryeziu told Radio Free Europe on Wednesday that the recent Kosovo Government's decision to expropriate lands in Leposaviq and Zubin Potok has been taken in line with the formal court form of justices, which have sought to exclude some parcels from expropriation.

The trial has been clear when it found that most plaintiffs have not had the legitimacy to initiate legal procedures, because they have not been able to prove their ownership over land subject to expropriation. In the course of this, the Government has acted on the basis of judicial decisions and laws in force”, Kryeziu says.

The QUINT states, in their statement, stress that the divisions have earlier expressed concern to the Government that “the exprojection law is not in line with Kosovo's pledges taken under the Ahtisaari Plan”, adding that they have encouraged it to modify the law in line with circumstances before adopting it.

The Constitutional Court in Pristina had rejected most of the indictments of Serbian citizens, who indicted the Government of Kosovo and demanded that “prove that there is no particular public interest in the real estate of indictees”.