A strong explosion occurred near a gas station in the center of the town of Zvecan in Northern Kosovo shortly after midnight, regional television reported En1, referring to the site KosSev. No one was injured in the incident, but the gas station, which is guarded by the Kosovo police, suffered significant damage, BTA clarifies.
„Around midnight there was an explosion near a gas station in the center of Zvechan. No one was injured, but material damage was caused to the gas station and several cars nearby. We cannot yet confirm the cause of the explosion, the competent authorities are working on the spot,” said Veton Elshani, deputy commander of the Kosovo Police for the northern region, KosSev website reported.
Residents of Zvechan reported to KosSev that many police cars with officers armed with assault rifles blocked the road near the gas station.
The facility in question was owned by the Serbian oil company NIS, but is now managed by “Lab Oil”. The Kosovo police guard the gas stations of NIS, which came under the control of the Kosovo authorities.
The authorities in Pristina closed on August 30 institutions operating within the framework of the Serbian system in four municipalities in northern Kosovo, populated mainly by Serbs – Zvechan, Zubin stream, Leposavich and Severna Mitrovica.
There are a number of institutions in Kosovo that are funded directly by the Government of Serbia and that are located in the cities and towns where the Serbian community lives. According to Kosovo legislation, these institutions are illegal.
Serbia and the Kosovo Serbs do not recognize the independence of Kosovo declared in 2008. Belgrade and Pristina are conducting a dialogue to normalize their relations under the auspices of the EU.