Attacked journalist during protests in the north, Serbian Spasic sentenced to 10,000 euros in fine

The decision was made by the Constitutional Court in Mitrovica, which has convicted Spasic of criminal acts “assault” and “participation in the crowd that committed hooliganism”.

He had attacked journalist Burim Zariqi during the 2023 violent protests in the North.

While Judge Marigona Lajqi stated that with the pronunciation of the sentence, she has taken into account that freedom of expression, worth protection with the Constitution, was attacked by the attack on journalism.

The fact that the accused does not appear to be convicted earlier of any criminal offence” is taken into account, Lajqi said.

On 26 May 2023, tensions in the north increased, when the new heads of Zvecan, Leposaviqi and Zubin Potok had entered under police escort to municipal buildings.

In just four days, there were 20 media attacks again on masked persons.

Meanwhile, on May 29th, protesters clashed with NATO peacekeeping mission troops in Kosovo, KFOR, in this clash of 41 KFOR troops, was also injured by dozens of protesters.

Ambassadors to the United States and Great Britain had demanded that violence against KFOR members be stopped immediately.

The new Albanian mayors were elected in early elections on April 23rd.

These elections were held following the resignation of the former municipal mayors November 2022.

The previous mayors came from the Serbian List the main party of Serbs in Kosovo, which did not participate in the elections and the process was boycotted by local Serbs.

The international community had made Kosovo responsible for the tensions created, while Kosovo and Serbia have blamed each other.