In Gazimestan, near Prishtina, during the marking of Vidovdan on June 28, the Kosovo Police detained 37 people, justifying the action with the claim that they “provoked the crowd by chanting provocative slogans containing elements that incite hatred.”

One of them was fined, while the other 36 were sent to court proceedings, but were not held in pretrial detention.

Lawyer Nikolla Todoroviq said that the accused had their personal identification documents confiscated and added that most of those detained are Serbs from Serbia and from countries in the region.

“There are quite a few foreign nationals who cannot return to their homes, and people are in difficulty. They have to wait for the announcement of the decision,” he said.

Every June 28, Serbs from Kosovo, Serbia and countries in the region traditionally gather in Gazimestan to commemorate the Battle of Kosovo, namely the clash against the Ottomans in 1389.

At the entrance to Gazimestan, visitors were handed a notice by the Kosovo Police stating that the “possession and display of various symbols that represent or incite interethnic, religious or political hatred” would not be tolerated.

Some of those present chanted “Kosovo is Serbia” and sang songs dedicated to Kosovo and Vidovdan.

The Diocese of Raška and Prizren of the Serbian Orthodox Church said that it does not justify and will never justify any call for hatred, violence or the disruption of public order, but stressed that “folk songs, remembrance of ancestors, traditional dress and the peaceful expression of religious and national identity cannot, in themselves, be treated as a threat to public order.”

The Church also expressed concern over claims that some of those detained had faced “physical and psychological mistreatment, slaps, blows, insults, threats, humiliation, as well as claims that they were asked to chant ‘Kosova Republikë’ under threat of being beaten.”

“These claims must be seriously investigated and verified. Even more concerning are the allegations that part of the traditional clothing of one of the detainees was desecrated and that some people were provided medical assistance,” the statement said.

Radio Free Europe has not been able to independently confirm the claims of physical and psychological mistreatment of the detainees. RFE sent questions to the Kosovo Police Inspectorate to find out whether there were any complaints against the police during the marking of Vidovdan in Gazimestan and whether any investigation had been opened, but so far it has not received a response from the institution.

Gazimestan in Kosovo is also known for the speech delivered there in 1989 by the then Serbian leader, Slobodan Milošević.

This speech is often cited as a prelude to the armed conflicts that followed the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.

The Office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia condemned the detentions during the marking of Vidovdan in Gazimestan, describing them as “a shameful and unworthy act of repression.”

Srpska Lista, the main party of Serbs in Kosovo backed by Belgrade, also said it views the detentions as an attempt at intimidation and as evidence of “the repression of the regime in Prishtina,” adding that the international community has been informed about the case. / RFE

The post On July 1, the Basic Court is expected to issue its decision on those detained in Gazimestan appeared first on Albeu.com.

At the entrance, police are carrying out checks to see whether participants are carrying symbols that incite interethnic hatred.

Police sources on the ground said that up to this stage the situation has been calm and is expected to remain so until the end.

KP has also learned that police forces have already been increased, while they are monitoring the situation and providing security for citizens.

The post Police check Serbs at the entrance to Gazimestan appeared first on Albeu.com.

Police officials on the ground said that the situation has so far been calm and that the same situation is expected to continue through to the end.

KosovaPress has meanwhile learned that police forces have already been increased in order to monitor the situation and guarantee security for citizens.

The date of June 28 is linked to the Battle of Kosovo, in which the coalition of Balkan peoples’ armies was defeated by the Ottoman Empire. After this defeat, the peoples of the Balkans either fell under Ottoman occupation or were forced to become vassals of the sultan. Albanian princes continued the resistance, and the best known among them was Skanderbeg. Serbia was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire.

The Battle of Kosovo took place on June 28 (June 15 according to the old calendar), 1389, in the Kosovo Field, between the coalition of Balkan peoples’ armies led by Prince Lazar and the Ottoman forces led by Sultan Murad I (reigned 1360–89). The clash was fierce, and both leaders, Prince Lazar and Sultan Murad, as well as many other princes, were killed during it. Both armies were almost completely wiped out.

However, the Ottoman Empire had the means and resources to raise a new army in a shorter period of time. The peoples of the Balkans, on the other hand, were unable to recover quickly, and most of them ended up under Ottoman rule.

There is not much data on the Battle of Kosovo, and in fact a large part of it contradicts one another.

For this reason, this event today is known more for the myths surrounding it than for the historical facts.

Under the rule of Sultan Murad I, the Ottomans expanded their power from Anatolia toward the Balkans. In the summer of 1389, Sultan Murad arrived in Kosovo, where he confronted the coalition of princes.

Although this battle is often presented as a confrontation between Serbs and Turks, or between Christians and Muslims, the facts show the opposite.

On one side were the Ottomans, whose army also included soldiers from their subject peoples and vassal princes, including Christians.

On the other side stood a coalition of princes of the Balkan peoples, which also included many Albanian princes.

It is known that Prince Lazar was killed in the battle, but the circumstances of his killing are not known. Another Serbian prince, Vuk Branković, when he saw that the battle could not be won and that as many soldiers as possible had to be saved, withdrew from the confrontation. In Serbian accounts, Branković is described as a traitor, and his betrayal is considered the cause of Prince Lazar’s death.

Sultan Murad I was also killed in this battle, and it is believed that he was killed by Miloš Obilić, one of the main figures in the stories and legends related to the Battle of Kosovo.

After Murad I, his son Bayezid I came to the throne, and for a period he continued the campaign to expand the Ottoman conquest in the Balkans, but in 1403 he was defeated near Ankara by the Mongol troops of Tamerlane.

This created an opportunity for Albanian lords to strengthen their positions. It was precisely in this period that families such as the Balshaj, the Dukagjini and the Zaharia in Northern Albania; the Kastrioti, Topia, Arianiti, Muzaka and Gropa in Central Albania; as well as the Shpata and the Zenebishi in Southern Albania emerged.

At the same time, Venice managed to take the coastal cities, from the Bay of Kotor to Arta. Budva, Ulqin, Shkodra, Lezha, Durrës and Parga, which were important trade and exchange centers with the country’s inland regions, became part of what is known in history as Venetian Albania.

The post Calm in Gazimestan, police presence increases appeared first on Albeu.com.

Në hyrje, policia po kryen kontrolle për të parë nëse pjesëmarrësit kanë me vete simbole që nxisin urrejtje ndëretnike.

Burime policore në terren kanë bërë të ditur se deri në këtë fazë gjendja ka qenë e qetë dhe pritet që e tillë të mbetet deri në përfundim.

Po ashtu, kp ka mësuar se forcat e policisë janë shtuar tashmë, ndërsa po monitorojnë situatën dhe po ofrojnë siguri për qytetarët.

The post Policia verifikon serbët në hyrje të Gazimestanit appeared first on Albeu.com.

Zyrtarët policorë në terren kanë bërë të ditur se deri tani gjendja ka qenë e qetë dhe se pritet që e njëjta situatë të vazhdojë edhe deri në përfundim.

KosovaPress ka mësuar ndërkohë se forcat policore janë shtuar tashmë, me qëllim monitorimin e situatës dhe garantimin e sigurisë për qytetarët.

Data 28 qershor lidhet me zhvillimin e Betejës së Kosovës, në të cilën koalicioni i ushtrive të popujve të Ballkanit u mposht nga Perandoria Osmane. Pas kësaj humbjeje, popujt e Ballkanit ose ranë nën pushtimin otoman, ose u detyruan të bëheshin vasalë të sulltanit. Princërit shqiptarë vijuan rezistencën, ndërsa më i njohuri mes tyre ishte Skënderbeu. Serbia u përfshi në Perandorinë Osmane.

Beteja e Kosovës është zhvilluar më 28 qershor (15 qershor sipas kalendarit të vjetër), 1389, në Fushën e Kosovës, mes koalicionit të ushtrive të popujve të Ballkanit të udhëhequr nga princi Lazar dhe forcave otomane të drejtuara nga sulltani Murati I (mbretëroi 1360–89). Përplasja ishte e ashpër dhe gjatë saj u vranë të dy udhëheqësit, Princi Llazar dhe Sulltan Murati, si edhe shumë princër të tjerë. Të dyja ushtritë pothuajse u shuan krejtësisht.

Megjithatë, Perandoria Otomane kishte mundësi dhe burime për të ngritur një ushtri të re në një kohë më të shkurtër. Popujt e Ballkanit, në anën tjetër, nuk mundën të rimëkëmbeshin shpejt dhe shumica e tyre përfunduan nën sundimin otoman.

Për Betejën e Kosovës nuk ekzistojnë shumë të dhëna, madje një pjesë e madhe e tyre bien në kundërshtim me njëra-tjetrën.

Për këtë arsye, kjo ngjarje sot njihet më tepër për mitet që e rrethojnë sesa për faktet historike.

Nën sundimin e Sulltan Muratit I, otomanët zgjeruan pushtetin e tyre nga Anadolli drejt Ballkanit. Në verën e vitit 1389, Sulltan Murati mbërriti në Kosovë, ku u ndesh me koalicionin e princave.

Edhe pse kjo betejë shpesh paraqitet si përballje mes serbëve dhe turqëve, apo mes të krishterëve dhe myslimanëve, faktet tregojnë të kundërtën.

Në njërën palë ishin otomanët, ushtria e të cilëve përfshinte edhe ushtarë të popujve dhe princërve vasalë të tyre, duke përfshirë edhe të krishterë.

Në palën tjetër qëndronte një koalicion princash të popujve të Ballkanit, ku bënin pjesë edhe shumë princa shqiptarë.

Dihet që në betejë u vra Princi Llazar, por rrethanat e vrasjes së tij nuk janë të njohura. Princi tjetër serb, Vuk Brankoviq, kur pa se beteja nuk mund të fitohej dhe se duhej të shpëtonte sa më shumë ushtarë, u tërhoq nga përballja. Në rrëfimet serbe, Brankoviq përshkruhet si tradhtar dhe tradhtia e tij konsiderohet shkak për vdekjen e Princit Lazar.

Në këtë betejë mbeti i vrarë edhe Sulltan Murati I, për të cilin besohet se u vra nga Milosh Obiliqi, një prej figurave kryesore në tregimet dhe legjendat që lidhen me Betejën e Kosovës.

Pas Muratit I, në fron erdhi i biri, Bajaziti I, i cili për një periudhë vazhdoi fushatën e zgjerimit të pushtimit otoman në Ballkan, por në vitin 1403 u mposht pranë Ankarasë nga trupat mongole të Timurlengut.

Kjo krijoi mundësi që zotërinjtë shqiptarë të forconin pozitat e tyre. Pikërisht në këtë periudhë shfaqen familje si Balshajt, Dukagjinët e Zahariajt në Shqipërinë e Veriut; Kastriotët, Topiajt, Arianitët, Muzakajt e Gropajt në Shqipërinë Qendrore; si dhe Shpatajt e Zenebishët në Shqipërinë e Jugut.

Në të njëjtën kohë, Venediku arriti të marrë qytetet bregdetare, nga gjiri i Kotorrit e deri në Artë. Budva, Ulqini, Shkodra, Lezha, Durrësi dhe Parga, që ishin qendra të rëndësishme tregtare dhe të shkëmbimit me viset e brendshme të vendit, u bënë pjesë e asaj që në histori njihet si Arbëria Venedikase.

The post Qetësi në Gazimestan, rritet prania e policisë appeared first on Albeu.com.