"Gendarmes did good job, situation calm"

President of the Coordinating Body for Southern Serbia Milan Markovic says he does not expect the security in the area to deteriorate. This region of Serbia has the largest ethnic Albanian population outside of Kosovo itself, and was on Friday the scene of ten arrests of former KLA members – Albanians accused of committing war crimes against Kosovo's Serbs in the Gnjilane area in 1999. "Gendarmes did good job, situation calm" "The arrests were carried out in line with the law and on war crimes prosecutor's orders. Zandarmerija [Gendarmerie] did its job in line with their powers. Those who are trying to say otherwise, are doing so wishing to manipulate the people," he said. Markovic, who is also a cabinet minister from the ranks of the Democrats (DS), said that the operation was not aimed at the Albanian population, but had the sole goal of arresting the war crimes suspects. He also dismissed speculation that the police action in the south had to do with his recent heated exchange in parliament with ethnic Albanian MP Riza Halimi. "Halimi and I hold different position on how the Coordinating Body should function and whether representatives of Albanians from the south should take full participation. The [arrest] operation was planned for six moths and very few people knew about it. One has nothing to do with the other," said Markovic. Meanwhile, all political parties active among Serbs living in Bujanovac sent an open letter to the state leadership, where they warn that the municipal assembly is scheduled to meet on Monday in order to dismiss the only two remaining Serbs that head local public companies. "At the same time, Albanians insist on employment parity within state organs that function in the south of Serbia. Unfortunately, these demands are often met, all with the aim of calming down ethnic tensions," the letter says. It has been sent to President Boris Tadic, PM Mirko Cvetkovic, Speaker Slavica Djukic Dejanovic, and Deputy PM and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic. The letter was signed by chairmen of the local boards of the Democratic Party (DS), Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), G17 Plus, Serb Radical Party (SRS), Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), New Serbia (NS), Serb Renewal Movement (SPO) and Movement Strength o Serbia. Markovic reacted a statement for FoNet news agency, when he said that he will officially address Bujanovac municipal president Saip Kamberi. Meanwhile in Belgrade, MP Riza Halimi says the meaning of Dacic's recent statement that the operation in Presevo "is not over" remains unclear. "If they had been preparing all this for six months, how come the operation is not over? Does that mean there will be more arrests in Presevo," wondered Halimi. According to him, it is unclear whether the state organs will request the arrest of the three Albanians that are said to be residing in Gnjilane at this time, also suspects in the same war crimes case. Halimi repeated his claims that several Presevo residents reported they were mistreated by the Gendarmes as they conducted their raids on Friday. Also addressing the issue was Dacic, who spoke at a party gathering on Sunday in Belgrade, to say that there is no reason for the announced protests in Presevo. He said that security forces in the area are capable of maintaining peace and order in the south. Once again, Dacic repeated that the MUP raids were aimed at apprehending those persons suspected of committing the gravest war crimes, and not at ethnic Albanians living in the area.

"Gendarmes did good job, situation calm"

"The arrests were carried out in line with the law and on war crimes prosecutor's orders. Žandarmerija [Gendarmerie] did its job in line with their powers. Those who are trying to say otherwise, are doing so wishing to manipulate the people," he said.

Marković, who is also a cabinet minister from the ranks of the Democrats (DS), said that the operation was not aimed at the Albanian population, but had the sole goal of arresting the war crimes suspects.

He also dismissed speculation that the police action in the south had to do with his recent heated exchange in parliament with ethnic Albanian MP Riza Halimi.

"Halimi and I hold different position on how the Coordinating Body should function and whether representatives of Albanians from the south should take full participation. The [arrest] operation was planned for six moths and very few people knew about it. One has nothing to do with the other," said Marković.

Meanwhile, all political parties active among Serbs living in Bujanovac sent an open letter to the state leadership, where they warn that the municipal assembly is scheduled to meet on Monday in order to dismiss the only two remaining Serbs that head local public companies.

"At the same time, Albanians insist on employment parity within state organs that function in the south of Serbia. Unfortunately, these demands are often met, all with the aim of calming down ethnic tensions," the letter says.

It has been sent to President Boris Tadić, PM Mirko Cvetković, Speaker Slavica Đukić Dejanović, and Deputy PM and Interior Minister Ivica Dačić.

The letter was signed by chairmen of the local boards of the Democratic Party (DS), Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), G17 Plus, Serb Radical Party (SRS), Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), New Serbia (NS), Serb Renewal Movement (SPO) and Movement Strength o Serbia.

Marković reacted a statement for FoNet news agency, when he said that he will officially address Bujanovac municipal president Saip Kamberi.

Meanwhile in Belgrade, MP Riza Halimi says the meaning of Dačić's recent statement that the operation in Preševo "is not over" remains unclear.

"If they had been preparing all this for six months, how come the operation is not over? Does that mean there will be more arrests in Preševo," wondered Halimi.

According to him, it is unclear whether the state organs will request the arrest of the three Albanians that are said to be residing in Gnjilane at this time, also suspects in the same war crimes case.

Halimi repeated his claims that several Preševo residents reported they were mistreated by the Gendarmes as they conducted their raids on Friday.

Also addressing the issue was Dačić, who spoke at a party gathering on Sunday in Belgrade, to say that there is no reason for the announced protests in Preševo.

He said that security forces in the area are capable of maintaining peace and order in the south.

Once again, Dačić repeated that the MUP raids were aimed at apprehending those persons suspected of committing the gravest war crimes, and not at ethnic Albanians living in the area.