Businessmen from Zubin Potok continued Monday for the fifth straight day to block the Kosovska Mitrovica - Ribarice road near Zubin Potok, protesting the arrest of their colleague Jevrem Pantelic.

Traffic is still being redirected to alternative routes.

President of the Zubin Potok business association Ratomir Bozovic told Tanjug that the businessmen will decide on further steps at a meeting on Monday, which will be attended by representatives of the local self-government of Zubin Potok.

Bozovic recalled that the protest leaders decided to completely block the Kosovska Mitrovica - Ribarice road near Zubin Potok for two hours every day, and possibly longer depending on how the situation develops.

He added that even though the protesters decided to radicalize the protest, they have postponed this until further notice because they received word in the meantime that KFOR and EULEX will be conducting a military exercise on the road from Zubin Potok to Brnjak on Tuesday, May 24, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

During the exercise, the road will be blocked from Zubin Potok to the Brnjak administrative crossing, Bozovic said, explaining this was the reason for changing the decision to radicalize the protest.

Jevrem Pantelic was arrested five days ago on suspicion of involvement in organized crime in an operation carried out by EULEX and KFOR.