\phantom causes a spacing issue between paragraghs

\phantom causes a spacing issue between paragraghs

Could anybody tell me why does phantom command create paragraph spacing
issues as described in this thread:
This sort of code
Vin.\ i zvat.\ mn.\ imaju akcente kao i im.\ mn.: \emph{zȗbe :
zȗbi},
\emph{knȅzove : knȅzovi}, \emph{púževe} i t.\ d.
\phantom{a}\symbol{"0311} na ˊ u svima padežima osim onih koji
će se
na po se spomenuti, n.\ p.\ \emph{strȋc} ima u rod.\ jed.\
\emph{stríca}, dat.:
\emph{strícu}, vin.: \emph{stríca}, tvor.: \emph{strícem}, skaz.:
\emph{strícu};
tako \emph{dvȏr} ima u im.\ mn.\ \emph{dvóri} i \emph{dvórovi}, i t.\ d.
produces

Why the such a big space between the paragraphs?
Does anybody know?