Serbs in north oppose decentralization

Serb political representatives in northern Kosovo oppose a decentralization plan drafted by the International Civilian Office (ICO) and the Kosovo government. They say they are against the strategy which is being drafted to place the northern, Serb-dominated municipalities under the control of the government in Pristina. Serbs in north oppose decentralization The strategy on integration of the northern part of Kosovo implies the abiding by Kosovo laws and the setting up of a new municipality of “Northern Mitrovica” in mid-2010. The document also envisages that this year, the Kosovo government would organize local elections in three northern municipalities – Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok. According to the media in Pristina, this would help marginalize the structures of Serbia which are operating in that part of Kosovo. The plan is that as soon as UNMIK closes down its office located in northern Kosovo, EULEX intensifies its presence in the region. The objective is to abolish the structures of authority which are financed by Belgrade. The International Civilian Office of Pieter Feith does not recognize the Serb structures and with the proposed strategy, it wants to strengthen Kosovo's institutions in the north, said a Tanjug report. Head of the Kosovska Mitrovica District Radenko Nedeljkovic, however, told the news agency that the by boycotting the local elections organized by the government in Pristina in November, Serbs living in the north of the province “made it very clear that they were against decentralization”. “The fact that Serbs took part in the elections for the Gracanica municipality [a central Kosovo enclave], does not mean that Serbs in the north can accept what is being offered from Pristina. Sebs in Gracanica find themselves in a particular situation, they don’t have much choice. We have clearly shown what’s the goal we are striving toward. The less than one percent turnout in the northern municipalits in the elections of the so-called Kosovo institutions is the best indicator of the local Serbs’ attitude toward Pristina’s plans,“ said Nedeljkovic. Serb National Council for Northern Kosovo (SVM) President Milan Ivanovic said that the boycott of the November elections showed that Serbs wish to remain within Serbia’s constitutional and legal system and that Pristina’s strategy would lead to a destabilization of the northern parts of the province. “This intended strategy to expel UNMIK, which is supposed to work in the spirit of Resolution 1244, from Kosovo, and that EULEX should take its place – an organization which comes from the countries that created that independent Kosovo – is certainly not beneficial for the finals solution, just as the elections in [Northern] Kosovska Mitrovica will not succeed,” he said. Yesterday EULEX chief Yves de Kermabon spoke against Serbian government structures in Kosovo.

Serbs in north oppose decentralization

The strategy on integration of the northern part of Kosovo implies the abiding by Kosovo laws and the setting up of a new municipality of “Northern Mitrovica” in mid-2010.

The document also envisages that this year, the Kosovo government would organize local elections in three northern municipalities – Zvečan, Leposavić and Zubin Potok.

According to the media in Priština, this would help marginalize the structures of Serbia which are operating in that part of Kosovo. The plan is that as soon as UNMIK closes down its office located in northern Kosovo, EULEX intensifies its presence in the region.

The objective is to abolish the structures of authority which are financed by Belgrade.

The International Civilian Office of Pieter Feith does not recognize the Serb structures and with the proposed strategy, it wants to strengthen Kosovo's institutions in the north, said a Tanjug report.

Head of the Kosovska Mitrovica District Radenko Nedeljković, however, told the news agency that the by boycotting the local elections organized by the government in Priština in November, Serbs living in the north of the province “made it very clear that they were against decentralization”.

“The fact that Serbs took part in the elections for the Gračanica municipality [a central Kosovo enclave], does not mean that Serbs in the north can accept what is being offered from Priština. Sebs in Gračanica find themselves in a particular situation, they don’t have much choice. We have clearly shown what’s the goal we are striving toward. The less than one percent turnout in the northern municipalits in the elections of the so-called Kosovo institutions is the best indicator of the local Serbs’ attitude toward Priština’s plans,“ said Nedeljković.

Serb National Council for Northern Kosovo (SVM) President Milan Ivanović said that the boycott of the November elections showed that Serbs wish to remain within Serbia’s constitutional and legal system and that Priština’s strategy would lead to a destabilization of the northern parts of the province.

“This intended strategy to expel UNMIK, which is supposed to work in the spirit of Resolution 1244, from Kosovo, and that EULEX should take its place – an organization which comes from the countries that created that independent Kosovo – is certainly not beneficial for the finals solution, just as the elections in [Northern] Kosovska Mitrovica will not succeed,” he said.

Yesterday EULEX chief Yves de Kermabon spoke against Serbian government structures in Kosovo.