Kosovo Serb Branislav Milovanovic (49), a returnee to the village of Opraske, Metohija, was seriously injured yesterday when he was beaten by three unidentified youths outside his home, but he is out of danger, it has been confirmed in the hospital in Kosovska Mitrovica.

Last night, the hospital admitted Milovanovic who sustained head injuries, concussion, fractures of the ribs and numerous bruises.

Village Opraske is located near Osojane, Metohija, and this is the third and the most serious incident in January in the neighborhood where nine Serbian families live.

Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Goran Bogdanovic stated that the Ministry demands that EULEX locates and arrests persons who attacked Branislav Milovanovic, a Serbian returnee from the village of Opraske in Metohija.

Bogdanovic said that this is the third attack on Serbs in this area since 15 January, underlining that it is clear that Pristina is doing nothing to prevent the attacks of Albanian extremists against Serbs. These incidents show that the Kosovo police cannot or will not protect Serbs in the province, he added.

The Minister pointed out that the conspicuous silence of the Kosovo police is an incentive to Albanian extremists, as well as proof that Kosovo institutions are trying to prevent the return of banished Serbs to the province.

Therefore, the Ministry for Kosovo-Metohija is demanding that international forces in the province immediately find a way to protect Serbs from such attacks and create conditions for their survival and return, Bogdanovic underlined.

He stressed that whoever is responsible for the state of affairs in the province must face reality, especially those who keep imposing the story about lawlessness and chaos in Serbian communities with the aim of outvoicing these attacks at returnees.