Peja prosecution opens investigation after a shepherd is accused of frightening foreign tourists in the Accursed Mountains

A recently reported incident has raised questions about visitor safety in the Accursed Mountains, where a shepherd is suspected of severely threatening a group of international hikers, forcing them to cut short their trip.

The incident, which happened six days ago, was made public through a report by the tourists themselves who were exploring this mountainous area. According to them, a local shepherd did not allow them to continue on their path.

Under condition of anonymity, the group leader shared their version of the story. He explained that the conflict started after an initially ordinary conversation with the shepherd.

“After I met and greeted him, he asked where I was going. I told him we were heading to Lake Lubenic and then to Gacaferi. He reacted by telling me not to move the sheep from the path, but to pass beside them, and I agreed,” recounted the tourists’ representative.

According to him, fortunately the situation did not degenerate into physical violence. However, the experience deeply shocked the foreign visitors.

The leader added details on how the event escalated: “The sheep were exactly on the path and it was impossible to bypass them without getting close, because the ground was slippery and very steep. For me, the priority was not to endanger the tourists. As soon as the sheep started to move because we were approaching, the shepherd came running back and attacked us with very harsh words, ordering us to turn back.”

This behavior angered and worried Albanik Gacaferi, the owner of the guesthouse that was hosting this group of tourists. He immediately apologized to the group for what happened.

“I apologized and assured them that they should feel safe, because such incidents have never happened before in our mountains. This is extremely damaging to the image of our tourism and for us who work in these parts. As a state, safety must be the main priority for tourism development; such actions are completely unacceptable for our society,” declared Gacaferi. He emphasized that until now there has always been excellent cooperation with visitors from all over the world.

In response to this event, the Basic Prosecution of Peja has set legal mechanisms in motion. The State Prosecutor has instructed the Kosovo Police to immediately launch investigations, starting with identifying and interviewing witnesses, and then proceeding to the identification of the suspected person and taking the necessary legal steps against him.

The Junik Mountains, part of the Accursed Mountains massif, are widely known as one of the most attractive points for mountain tourism enthusiasts in Kosovo.