Serbs in north ignore official checkpoints

Serbs in northern Kosovo are continuing their mass boycott of Jarinje and Brnjak, the two official checkpoints between Kosovo and central Serbia. This comes despite the announcement on Monday by the EU mission in the province, EULEX, that administrative line crossings were "open to commercial and non-commercial traffic". Serbs in north ignore official checkpoints Trucks carrying goods still use "alternative roads", bypassing Jarnje and Brnjak. The citizens who have been crossing the administrative line using these roads told Beta news agency they will continue to do so, because they do not wish to be subjected to checks by "Kosovo customs and border police" - officials sent by the Kosovo Albanian authorities in Pristina - who are at the two checkpoints along with those of EULEX. Serbs form the majority population in the north, and reject the authority of the government of Pristina, as well as the unilateral declaration of independence made by ethnic Albanians four years ago. Kosovska Mitrovica Disctrict chief Radenko Nedeljkovic said on Tuesday that EULEX should return to its original mandate, instead of spreading the propaganda of the so-called Kosovo government. "Belgrade negotiating team chief Borislav Stefanovic has said it clearly that the issue of collection of customs fees has not been regulated, was not the subject of the talks in Brussels, and should be discussed in the future," Nedeljkovic said, and added that he was "under the impression that EULEX is in a hurry, eager to please the Kosovo government", and, "do something in the north of Kosovo and Metohija". But the district chief noted that the mission should "stop with the propaganda and act in a status-neutral manner". A view of one of the checkpoints in the north (file) Beta

Serbs in north ignore official checkpoints

Trucks carrying goods still use "alternative roads", bypassing Jarnje and Brnjak.

The citizens who have been crossing the administrative line using these roads told Beta news agency they will continue to do so, because they do not wish to be subjected to checks by "Kosovo customs and border police" - officials sent by the Kosovo Albanian authorities in Priština - who are at the two checkpoints along with those of EULEX.

Serbs form the majority population in the north, and reject the authority of the government of Priština, as well as the unilateral declaration of independence made by ethnic Albanians four years ago.

Kosovska Mitrovica Disctrict chief Radenko Nedeljković said on Tuesday that EULEX should return to its original mandate, instead of spreading the propaganda of the so-called Kosovo government.

"Belgrade negotiating team chief Borislav Stefanović has said it clearly that the issue of collection of customs fees has not been regulated, was not the subject of the talks in Brussels, and should be discussed in the future," Nedeljković said, and added that he was "under the impression that EULEX is in a hurry, eager to please the Kosovo government", and, "do something in the north of Kosovo and Metohija".

But the district chief noted that the mission should "stop with the propaganda and act in a status-neutral manner".