Sunday afternoon, everything is as usual in Mitrovica - people are either in nature or in cafes. The news appears that it is Kosovo Police conducted a search at several locations, and found a weapon at one of them. We learn that it is the leader's estate Serbian democracies Aleksandar Arsenijević. Searches were carried out in Zvečan and North Mitrovica.
Shortly after that knowledge, I drive through the municipality of Zvečan, I see if the police are still there. However, it is not, the search is over. Arsenijević was not in Kosovo at that moment, and if he returns from the Kosovo Police (for the northern region), they state that he will be detained in order to be interviewed in connection with the case.
Arsenijević talks about everything that happened for "Vreme".
"Weapons were found in a location where my horse was with an open stable, where he had water to drink. I left Kosovo on Friday and that search magically happened on Sunday," he states.
"Although Dželjalj Svečlja (Kosovo's Minister of Internal Affairs in technical mandate) states that KFOR and EULEX were also present, according to the statements I have from the villagers, they literally came to escort the Kosovo Police from the scene, which means that they stayed for ten minutes before the end," says Arsenijević.
EULEX later also for the "Alternative" portal confirmed that EULEX staff were not present in their full monitoring capacity when the search began, but monitored the operation "at a later stage". However, they did not specify at which stage they joined.
Additionally, they did not answer the question of whether they have information about whether and when the Kosovo Police requested a court search warrant.
Arsenijević claims that the Kosovo authorities did not have a warrant for the search, which he says "gives even greater suspicion of a set-up". He says that the police, near the village of Valač, entered the house in Zvečan and his mother's house.
What was found?
Kosovo police announced that weapons, ammunition, hand grenades and oil were found in two plastic pipes underground.
Arsenijević denied everything back then, but adds that a diplomatic bulletproof vest was also found in his possession. However, he says that he has it because of a security threat, and that this was previously reported to the director of the police and the deputy commander of the Kosovo Police for the northern region, Veton Elšani.
A Russian flag was also found.
Speaking about these allegations, Arsenijević explains: "People who know me will find a Bosniak or Roma flag near me in Kosovo rather than a Russian flag. That flag is a signature for propaganda that goes against me."
He further emphasizes that since the local elections are going on, and it is increasingly certain that the parliamentary elections will be repeated, "the Kosovo authorities know that they cannot count on us as partners. They are trying to eliminate us in every way, because we are those independent voices who are not even from the Serbian list, and which will be difficult to reach by the outposts of the Serbs who are under the control of Pristina".
"We will seek an international investigation"
After the invasion of the Kosovo police, Serbian Democracy sent an open letter to the international community. They called on them to react urgently not only with announcements, but with actions.
"Democracy is not measured by words, but by what is done when it is under threat," they wrote.
Arsenijević indicates that his party colleagues are dealing with this, and that he has previously stated that he is ready to make an online statement with the presence of a lawyer. "Obviously they let me out of Kosovo because if I was in Kosovo they wouldn't be able to prove anything and under the pressure of the international community they would have to let me go."
In addition, he emphasizes that Serbian democracy will also demand an international investigation into this case.
"If they are convinced of what they are saying and publicly condemning me like Svečlja, let them allow an international investigation, no problem."
"I can't wait to get home"
Finally, when asked when he will return to Kosovo, Arsenijević says that he can't wait to return home.
"My place, my life, my graves - everything is there. I am a refugee outside of Kosovo because outside of Kosovo I don't even have a pot of soil, and nothing more," concludes Arsenijević.
