| Serbs protest new customs measures |
| 9 June 2009 | 12:08 -> 13:29
| Source:
B92, Tanjug |
BELGRADE, PRIŠTINA --
Several hundred Serbs have blocked traffic at the Brnjak and Jarinje crossings today in protest at the introduction of new customs measures.
 | The protest at Jarinje today (Tanjug)
|
The protesters called on EULEX to immediately suspend all activities regarding the collection of customs duties at the two administrative crossings in question, stating that businesses in the region were happy to pay taxes, but not to fund the unrecognized state of Kosovo.
They also demanded that an agreement be reached as soon as possible between international officials and the competent Serbian ministries over a means of tax collection that was in keeping with UN Security Council resolution 1244.
Citizens from Leposavić, Kosovska Mitrovica, Zvečan and Zubin Potok warned that if their demands were not met, they would be compelled to step up their protests until such time as they were met.
Today's protest , which was policed by EULEX and Kosovo Police Service members with a KFOR unit in attendance too, ended without incident.
Kosovo Minister Goran Bogdanović said yesterday that unilateral moves by EULEX were not acceptable, and called on Serbs to be peaceful and dignified at today’s protest.
He also said that the Serbian government had not reached an agreement or signed any deal with EULEX regarding new customs rules at these two administrative crossings.
Meanwhile, Priština daily Kosovo Sot states that police are preparing criminal charges against two Serb officials in Kosovo, Marko Jakšić and Milan Ivanović.
The daily states that the police charges pertain to “Jakšić and Ivanović’s public call for the burning of border crossings 1 and 31 (Jarinje and Brnjak) in March of last year.”
“Kosovo police have filed criminal charges against Serb Municipal President Jakšić and Serb National Council leader in northern Kosovo Ivanović on suspicion of inciting terrorism through their public calls,” Kosovo Sot states.
The daily adds that charges will soon be filed with the EULEX prosecution, which will investigate the matter.
Jakšić and Ivanović “sent a public call to Serb to go and burn the border crossings between Kosovo and Serbia during a protest held on March 17, 2008 in front of the district court in Mitrovica,” the daily says.
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