Hotel Near Ujman Demolished, Baliqi Confirms Tension-Free Operation

The “Jezero” hotel building was completely demolished on Thursday, marking the 17th structure to be torn down along the shores of Lake Ujman. The authorities justified the action on the grounds that the building was illegal and stood on land owned by the public company “Ibër-Lepenci.”

Acting Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning Fitore Pacolli today confirmed the total number of demolitions. In a Facebook post, she announced that the campaign would continue without compromise and would be expanded to other regions of the country to protect state property and enforce the law.

Pacolli stressed that preserving water resources is an absolute priority, adding that the commitment to protecting them, managing them responsibly, and developing them as a vital treasure for Kosovo would remain unwavering.

However, the action drew criticism from local residents, who argued that the demolition orders had been issued hastily and without a solid legal basis.

The move also prompted objections from Kosovo’s northern neighbor, with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić himself leading the reaction.

Although rhetorical tensions remained high, the situation at the scene was calm throughout Friday. Erduan Baliqi, head of planning at the North Mitrovica Regional Operations Directorate, said law enforcement officers had enabled the competent institutions to carry out the operation normally and that it ended without any incidents.

Baliqi explained that the Kosovo Police provided support to the “Ibër-Lepenc” Hydro-Economic Enterprise and the relevant ministry during the implementation of the plan. He noted that there were no objections, resistance, or problems on the ground during the operation.

The campaign to demolish unauthorized buildings began last week, following announcements by officials of the “Ibër-Lepenci” enterprise that such an operation would take place.