Office for Kosovo and Metohija
Government of the Republic of Serbia

Presentation of the “Sun Valley” returnee settlement construction project

The “Sun Valley” returnee settlement construction project in northern Kosovo and Metohija, which should house 1500 returnees, and whose construction should begin soon, was presented in Belgrade today.

“This is a historical step towards the return of our people to Kosovo and Metohija. The foundation stone will be laid shortly, and the site is already fully prepared for construction”, said the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Marko Djurić, adding construction is expected to start within the next few weeks.

He noted that this is a great day for Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, but also for all those Serbs from Kosovo who were expelled from the province into Serbia Proper, because this is a presentation of the first project after 17 years, achieved by joint forces of the Government of Serbia, Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Diocese of Raška and Prizren and Serbian local self-government in Kosovo and Metohija, together with Serbian representatives in the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Priština.

“This project is aimed at enabling 1500 people expelled to the area of Serbia Proper to come with their families and live in Kosovo and Metohija, in the areas where it is safe”, Djurić said.

This would change the ugly image that, 17 years after the armed conflict, in terms of sustainable return, less than two percent of people returned, according to UN data.

The Minister of Local Self-Government in the provincial government, Ljubomir Marić, said he hopes the project will be completed in a year and a half.

“This is a huge project. We are talking about a phase project and we are hoping that in about a year and a half everything will be executed”, he said.

The Bishop of Raška and Prizren, Teodosije, said that the project of the returnee settlement is of great importance, adding that the Government of Serbia, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, the Municipality of Zvečan and the Diocese of Raška and Prizren joined strengths, potentials and will on this project, with an aim at doing something in the function of sustainability of all of this owned by us for centuries on the sacred lands of Kosovo and Metohija.

“Our priority today is to preserve our sacred Kosovo and Metohija land, to preserve our centuries-old sanctities inherited from our rulers, to preserve the presence of the Serbian people in these areas. This project is a clear indication that we still have the strength in the time in which we are living, and that we are not inferior to our great ancestors”, the Bishop said.

He stressed that it is especially important to manifest “unity with this project and to show that when we are together, united, we can achieve more”.

The President of the Temporary organ of the Municipality of Zvečan, Ivan Todosijević, said that “Sun valley” is a big project, the biggest conducted by the state in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, since the 90s.

“The new housing development for returnees will be a modern settlement with all amenities and a well-connected road infrastructure. Apart from 300 housing units, the settlement will have a kindergarten, a hospital, shopping center, sport facilities and a church”, Todosijević said.

He said that, in relations to other projects, the “Sun Valley” project is sustainable because it involves the employment of at least one member of a returnee family.

“From the security aspect, the returnee families will know their houses will not be burned, that they will not be shot at...”, Todosijević said, adding that the project will jump start the construction industry and employ a large number of people.

He said that, with this project, Serbia is showing Kosovo and Metohija is its integral and inalienable part, and that it is dedicated to return and subsistence of the Serbian people.

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija in the Government of Serbia, the Diocese of Raška and Prizren of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Municipality of Zvečan signed an Agreement on the construction of the “Sun Valley” settlement on July 12th of last year, which created conditions for the start of a completely new concept of return of internally displaced persons to Kosovo and Metohija.

The first returnee settlement of this type will be built in northern Kosovo and Metohija, at the foot of the ancient fortress of Nemanjići, at a strategically important position between Kosovska Mitrovica and Zvečan.