Serbs protest in northern KM

Several thousand Serbs from northern Kosovo have called for the disbandment of the Kosovo Security Forces (KSF) at a protest in Kosovska Mitrovica. The protestors sent an invitation to Serbian MPs to hold a session in Kosovo on Feb. 17, the anniversary of Kosovo’s unilateral independence declaration, in a sign of unity with the Serbs in the region. Serbs protest in northern KM The KSF is an anti-Serb formation which should be dismantled, said the participants at the protest rally in Sumadija Square. Serbs and other non-Albanians were called on to boycott its activities. President of the Kosovska Mitrovica District Radenko Nedeljkovic said that those who had taken part in the creation of the KSF had proven their lack of partiality. He called on representatives of the international community to disband the formation, which, he said, “represents a threat to stability in the region.” He urged KFOR representatives to operate within their mandate, pointing out that international forces were responsible for the preservation of peace in Kosovo. Nedeljkovic condemned EULEX representatives’ unilateral moves at the administrative crossings in northern Kosovo, pointing out that they were violating the six-point plan agreed between Belgrade and the UN. He also called for special units of the Kosovo Police Service (KPS), which go under the name of ROSA, to be barred from entering the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica, where they could provoke the local population and cause incidents. Milan Ivanovic, president of the Serb National Council of Northern Kosovo, said that EULEX was not behaving like a neutral force, but was instead implementing Martti Ahtisaari’s plan. During the protest rally, which was policed by KPS units, EULEX police forces blocked the District and Municipal Court, which is encircled by barbed wire. After the rally, Serbs conducted a peaceful protest walk to the gates of the northern police station, insisting that the court’s work should not be conducted on the basis of Kosovo law. The KPS and KFOR presence was scaled up on the main bridge across the Ibar River, while most shops in the town were closed. Citizens carried banners with slogans like “No to KSF”, “We won’t surrender Kosovo”, and “We want Gracanica inside Serbia”, as well as the Serbian, Greek and Spanish flags. No incidents were registered. Earlier, southern Kosovska Mitrovica Municipal President Bajram Rexhepi said that the security structures must remain at their current level of readiness to keep the situation in the north under control. (Beta)

Serbs protest in northern KM

The KSF is an anti-Serb formation which should be dismantled, said the participants at the protest rally in Šumadija Square. Serbs and other non-Albanians were called on to boycott its activities.

President of the Kosovska Mitrovica District Radenko Nedeljković said that those who had taken part in the creation of the KSF had proven their lack of partiality. He called on representatives of the international community to disband the formation, which, he said, “represents a threat to stability in the region.”

He urged KFOR representatives to operate within their mandate, pointing out that international forces were responsible for the preservation of peace in Kosovo.

Nedeljković condemned EULEX representatives’ unilateral moves at the administrative crossings in northern Kosovo, pointing out that they were violating the six-point plan agreed between Belgrade and the UN.

He also called for special units of the Kosovo Police Service (KPS), which go under the name of ROSA, to be barred from entering the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica, where they could provoke the local population and cause incidents.

Milan Ivanović, president of the Serb National Council of Northern Kosovo, said that EULEX was not behaving like a neutral force, but was instead implementing Martti Ahtisaari’s plan.

During the protest rally, which was policed by KPS units, EULEX police forces blocked the District and Municipal Court, which is encircled by barbed wire.

After the rally, Serbs conducted a peaceful protest walk to the gates of the northern police station, insisting that the court’s work should not be conducted on the basis of Kosovo law.

The KPS and KFOR presence was scaled up on the main bridge across the Ibar River, while most shops in the town were closed.

Citizens carried banners with slogans like “No to KSF”, “We won’t surrender Kosovo”, and “We want Gračanica inside Serbia”, as well as the Serbian, Greek and Spanish flags.

No incidents were registered.

Earlier, southern Kosovska Mitrovica Municipal President Bajram Rexhepi said that the security structures must remain at their current level of readiness to keep the situation in the north under control.