UNMIK/PR/1458
PRISTINA - SRSG Søren Jessen-Petersen today condemned the attack against a bus that occurred last evening in Prizren municipality. The attack fortunately failed to cause any major damage or injuries. However, the SRSG has taken serious note of the potentially lethal incident. He has directed that security measures across Kosovo be enhanced to ensure that a safe and secure environment is maintained during the ongoing status process.
Eleven passengers -- seven Kosovo Albanians, three Kosovo Bosniaks and one Kosovo Serb -- were travelling from Dragash/Dragaš to Prizren on Saturday evening. A projectile fired from the roadside struck the middle of the bus and entered the passenger compartment. It did not explode. No person on the bus was injured. KFOR’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team responded and safely removed the projectile.
“The security environment in Kosovo is generally stable,” the SRSG emphasized. “However, incidents such as the one last night demonstrate that, during the status process which has just begun, isolated individuals or groups who do not have Kosovo’s best interests in mind may attempt to disrupt Kosovo’s way forward for their own ulterior motives. They obviously will not care who they hurt by their misdeeds. Such provocations must not be tolerated. I have therefore directed the UNMIK Police Commissioner to take stringent measures to enhance the security of all the people of Kosovo.”
UNMIK Police Commissioner Kai Vittrup has ordered that vigorous police patrols and vehicle checkpoints be instituted throughout Kosovo. Police resources are being redeployed to ensure a visible police presence in potentially vulnerable areas such as schools and religious establishments.
“The people of Kosovo and their leaders have time and again rejected violence as a form of political expression,” said the SRSG, adding: “Now that Kosovo is on the road toward resolving its status, fringe elements in this society will not be permitted to stand in the way of a better future for Kosovo and its people. Such ill-intentioned individuals must be isolated, identified and brought to justice. Working together alongside the people of Kosovo, whom they are sworn to serve and protect, UNMIK Police, the Kosovo Police Service and KFOR will take every measure necessary to ensure security and progress.”