Calls for strengthening of Serbian institutions in north

Participants in the Assembly of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija yesterday rejected the so-called integration plan for northern Kosovo. The plan was announced by the ICO and the Kosovo Albanian government in Pristina, and aims to bring the northern, Serb areas under control. Calls for strengthening of Serbian institutions in north The assembly demanded that the state organs make sure that Serbian institutions in the province are further strengthened, “and in this way demonstrate to NATO, KFOR and EULEX that they (the institutions) are not parallel”. SPC Bishop Artemije, who attended the gathering, said that Serbs in Kosovo expect authorities in Belgrade to strengthen their institutions in Kosovo, “instead of weakening them like before”. He also said that “if there are divisions between Serbs in Kosovo, they came as the result of the policy of official Belgrade”. “They are driving wedges between us, because every party in Serbia, whether in government or in opposition, wants to have a stronghold in Kosovo and Metohija, not in order to help us, but rather to manipulate us,” said the bishop. The meeting was attended by some 200 Serb representatives, and supported by opposition MPs Dragan Todorovic, Milos Aligrudic and Velimir Ilic, who were present in Kosovska Mitrovica on Thursday. “The Assembly of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija is categorically rejecting the anti-Serb plan of Pieter Feith and Hashim Thaci about the so-called integration of the northern part of Kosovo and Metohija, and expects authorities in Belgrade to truly, and not merely rhetorically, defend Serb national interests in the southern Serb province,” one of the conclusions of the gathering read. The assembly also asked the government in Belgrade to clearly demonstrate that the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty are more important than its Euro-Atlantic integrations. Deputy Chairman of the Union of the Serb Municipalities and Settlements in Kosovo and Metohija Marko Jaksic said that “it is clear to everyone that there is no independent Kosovo without Belgrade’s assistance, and that the preservation of Kosovo depends entirely on Serbia”. Torodovic and Ilic called for unity among Serbs in Kosovo and announced they would ask for a debate on the situation in Kosovo to take place in the Serbian parliament. Ilic also noted that Belgrade had “given up on the six-point plan”. The plan was announced as Belgrade consented to the deployment of EULEX in late 2008. The gathering in Kosovska Mitrovica on Thursday (Beta)

Calls for strengthening of Serbian institutions in north

The assembly demanded that the state organs make sure that Serbian institutions in the province are further strengthened, “and in this way demonstrate to NATO, KFOR and EULEX that they (the institutions) are not parallel”.

SPC Bishop Artemije, who attended the gathering, said that Serbs in Kosovo expect authorities in Belgrade to strengthen their institutions in Kosovo, “instead of weakening them like before”.

He also said that “if there are divisions between Serbs in Kosovo, they came as the result of the policy of official Belgrade”.

“They are driving wedges between us, because every party in Serbia, whether in government or in opposition, wants to have a stronghold in Kosovo and Metohija, not in order to help us, but rather to manipulate us,” said the bishop.

The meeting was attended by some 200 Serb representatives, and supported by opposition MPs Dragan Todorović, Miloš Aligrudić and Velimir Ilić, who were present in Kosovska Mitrovica on Thursday.

“The Assembly of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija is categorically rejecting the anti-Serb plan of Pieter Feith and Hashim Thaci about the so-called integration of the northern part of Kosovo and Metohija, and expects authorities in Belgrade to truly, and not merely rhetorically, defend Serb national interests in the southern Serb province,” one of the conclusions of the gathering read.

The assembly also asked the government in Belgrade to clearly demonstrate that the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty are more important than its Euro-Atlantic integrations.

Deputy Chairman of the Union of the Serb Municipalities and Settlements in Kosovo and Metohija Marko Jakšić said that “it is clear to everyone that there is no independent Kosovo without Belgrade’s assistance, and that the preservation of Kosovo depends entirely on Serbia”.

Torodović and Ilić called for unity among Serbs in Kosovo and announced they would ask for a debate on the situation in Kosovo to take place in the Serbian parliament. Ilić also noted that Belgrade had “given up on the six-point plan”.

The plan was announced as Belgrade consented to the deployment of EULEX in late 2008.