LEFT AT THE MERCY OF THE ALBANIANS! The last Serbian café in the center of North Mitrovica is closing, eviction order arrives!

Systematic pressure and the erasure of everything bearing a Serbian mark in North Mitrovica have reached their peak — the famous “Bonsai” café, the last Serbian establishment on the promenade at Trg braće Milića, is now next in line for closure.

The company “Trepča Jug” has given just 10 days to vacate the premises, with an open threat that otherwise it will forcibly enter, remove the owner and seize the inventory, effectively putting an end to one of the favorite gathering places for Serbs near the very bridge over the Ibar River.

It all began in May 2023 with the storming of municipal buildings, and today, before the eyes of local residents, the final act in the transformation of North Mitrovica is unfolding. Street names are being changed, murals are being painted over, while Serbian property is systematically taken over and assigned to new owners with the assistance of police force.

The story of “Bonsai” therefore goes beyond the scope of news about a single hospitality establishment. This venue, located at the farthest end of the promenade with a direct view of the bridge, has for decades represented an informal symbol of defiance, survival and the everyday life of local residents.

The padlock on these doors also marks the definitive erasure of the last Serbian trace in the pedestrian zone. People are being forced to leave, Serbian establishments are shutting down one by one, while Albanian businesspeople are rapidly moving into the vacant premises.

The harshest truth for the remaining Serbs in Mitrovica is that this process of seizing local symbols and changing the demographic and cultural image of the city is taking place without any reaction, directly before the eyes of official Belgrade.