SERBS "DISTRESSED" AS SOURCE FOR MINERAL WATER PLANT BLOWN UP IN EAST KOSOVO
BBC Monitoring International Reports - May 4, 2006 Thursday

Text of report by Montenegrin Mina news agency

Kosovska Mitrovica, 4 April: Last night unidentified perpetrators blew up the source of mineral water in the village of Klokot in the municipality of Vitina [in eastern Kosovo], the Coordination Centre in Kosovska Mitrovica has said in a statement.

According to the statement, explosives were planted last night at around 2100 [1900 gmt], disregarding the fact that the mineral water source is around 100 metres away from the nearest houses in the village and just 50 metres away from a Kosovo Police outpost.

According to Vitina municipality coordinator Nenad Kojic, houses did not sustain damage but the Serb population was enormously distressed.

Around 1,300 Serbs live in the village of Klokot but over the last couple of years Albanians have moved to the outskirts of the village and have been buying up Serb land.

Up until 1999, a big mineral water plant was operational in Klokot. The plant was purchased by an Albanian man several years ago within the privatization process.

The blowing up of the source will hamper water supply for the local population as well as the work of the Klokot mineral water plant, the statement says.


Source: Mina news agency, Podgorica, in Serbian 0946 gmt 4 May 06

Copyright 2006 Financial Times Information
All Rights Reserved
Global News Wire - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire
Copyright 2006 BBC Monitoring/BBC Source: Financial Times Information Limited

Posted for Fair Use only.