President meets with Serb municipal officials

BELGRADE Representatives of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija said on Friday that they have faith in the state platform on Kosovo and Serbia's leadership. But they at the same time stated that they would state their opinion on the document in written form next week, once they have held meetings municipal presidents. President meets with Serb municipal officials After two hours of talks with President Tomislav Nikolic in Belgrade on Friday, Serb representatives told reporters that they were satisfied with what they have seen and announced a meeting of all 28 Kosovo municipalities next week, during which a stand on the platform would be adopted. Kosovo Polje Mayor Stevica Lazic stated that Serbs were mostly satisfied with the platform because it covers what they expected it to cover and what guarantees their survival in Kosovo. He said that their talks with the president primarily covered the problems they are facing, and added that more details would be released after analyses and discussions in their municipalities. Decani municipal coordinator Snezana Paunovic told reporters that Serbs in Kosovo had faith in the draft platform, and in the Serbian leadership. "We have no reason to be suspicious about the platform but we need to learn more about it and discuss it with the authorities, after which we will have another meeting with the president before the platform is forwarded to parliament for adoption," Paunovic said. Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Aleksandar Vulin did not address reporters after the meeting, while the president's office issued a statement saying that the condition for Serbs' survival and stay in Kosovo and Metohija is the unity among all Serbs in relation to the key principles presented in a draft national platform on the continuation of Belgrade-Pristina talks. On Friday, Nikolic informed representatives of the Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija about the content of the draft platform for resolving the issue of the province, which he had previously presented to representatives of the opposition parties and international community. During the meeting, the Serbs gave a principled support to the Serbian president and government and their efforts aimed at institutionalizing the protection of the rights of Serbs and Serbia in further talks between Belgrade and Pristina. Until now, Belgrade has been resolving the problems of (ethnic) Albanians in the southern province, while problems were created for Serbs, Nikolic noted, and the president's press service announced. Until now, there has been no accountability of those who took part in the talks and the state hid itself behind clerks, stating that a victory was secured in the negotiations, while in reality Serbs faced growing problems, Nikolic said. He voiced wish that Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija would live together and fight for their survival together, without divisions. The Serbian president called on representatives of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija to arrive at joint conclusions about the platform and make possible suggestions, warning that there is not much time. Representatives of the Serbs thanked the president for an invitation to the meeting, underscoring that they had not be consulted on their own fate for quite a long time. Noting that certain media published various wrong versions of the platform on KiM, they voiced satisfaction that the document protects their interests, rights and dignity. The platform offers the solution for essential issues and does not leave room for the partition of Kosovo, they said. Representatives of the Serbs in KiM suggested that the platform should also ensure a safe return of over 240,000 Serbs that were expelled from KiM, the release reads. Taking as a starting point that Serbia will never recognize independence of its province, the draft national platform on Kosovo forecasts the end of technical dialogue and continuation of political dialogue with Pristina, and underlines “package talks“ as the basic principle of the negotiations. The strategic document, which Tanjug has seen, states that Belgrade will seek autonomy for all Serb communities in the province on the model of Catalonia, and the status of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the model of the Vatican. The Serbian president presented the draft platform for Kosovo to leaders of opposition parties on Thursday. In the version of the document published by some media, the Serbian authorities demand a high level of territorial and political autonomy for the Serb municipalities, "modeled after Catalonia". According to this, they also want "autonomy to be guaranteed by the province’s highest legal bills and that the international community officials, who are taking part in the negotiations, stand behind it". (Beta) Kosovo Serbs on platform Mayors of some Kosovo towns said on Thursday that they expected the platform “to treat state and interests of Kosovo Serbs in the right way”. Pec Mayor Milos Dimitrijevic said that it was in Serbs best interest to stay in Kosovo and that he therefore expected the platform to adequately view the position of Serbs in the entire province. “I believe it is written in such manner,” he told Tanjug, while Obilic Mayor Goran Dancetovic said he hoped the platform would guarantee that Serbs would remain in Kosovo. He told Tanjug that he had received an invitation to a meeting with the president and that he expected to see how the document would treat the Serbs south of the Ibar River and Serbian institutions in that part of the province. “Survival of the Serbian community living in the province largely depends of the survival of the Serbian institutions in Kosovo and Metohija,” Dancetovic underscored. Strpce Mayor Zvonko Mihajlovic believes that Kosovo Serbs should have been involved in the work on the platform from the beginning. “They understand the problems the best and this way Kosovo Serbs have a fait accompli and I am afraid that the platform would remain a ‘dead letter’ like previous resolutions and declarations,” he noted. B92 Beta Tanjug

President meets with Serb municipal officials

After two hours of talks with President Tomislav Nikolić in Belgrade on Friday, Serb representatives told reporters that they were satisfied with what they have seen and announced a meeting of all 28 Kosovo municipalities next week, during which a stand on the platform would be adopted.

Kosovo Polje Mayor Stevica Lazić stated that Serbs were mostly satisfied with the platform because it covers what they expected it to cover and what guarantees their survival in Kosovo.

He said that their talks with the president primarily covered the problems they are facing, and added that more details would be released after analyses and discussions in their municipalities.

Dečani municipal coordinator Snežana Paunović told reporters that Serbs in Kosovo had faith in the draft platform, and in the Serbian leadership.

"We have no reason to be suspicious about the platform but we need to learn more about it and discuss it with the authorities, after which we will have another meeting with the president before the platform is forwarded to parliament for adoption," Paunović said.

Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Aleksandar Vulin did not address reporters after the meeting, while the president's office issued a statement saying that the condition for Serbs' survival and stay in Kosovo and Metohija is the unity among all Serbs in relation to the key principles presented in a draft national platform on the continuation of Belgrade-Priština talks.

On Friday, Nikolić informed representatives of the Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija about the content of the draft platform for resolving the issue of the province, which he had previously presented to representatives of the opposition parties and international community.

During the meeting, the Serbs gave a principled support to the Serbian president and government and their efforts aimed at institutionalizing the protection of the rights of Serbs and Serbia in further talks between Belgrade and Priština.

Until now, Belgrade has been resolving the problems of (ethnic) Albanians in the southern province, while problems were created for Serbs, Nikolić noted, and the president's press service announced.

Until now, there has been no accountability of those who took part in the talks and the state hid itself behind clerks, stating that a victory was secured in the negotiations, while in reality Serbs faced growing problems, Nikolić said.

He voiced wish that Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija would live together and fight for their survival together, without divisions.

The Serbian president called on representatives of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija to arrive at joint conclusions about the platform and make possible suggestions, warning that there is not much time.

Representatives of the Serbs thanked the president for an invitation to the meeting, underscoring that they had not be consulted on their own fate for quite a long time.

Noting that certain media published various wrong versions of the platform on KiM, they voiced satisfaction that the document protects their interests, rights and dignity.

The platform offers the solution for essential issues and does not leave room for the partition of Kosovo, they said.

Representatives of the Serbs in KiM suggested that the platform should also ensure a safe return of over 240,000 Serbs that were expelled from KiM, the release reads.

Taking as a starting point that Serbia will never recognize independence of its province, the draft national platform on Kosovo forecasts the end of technical dialogue and continuation of political dialogue with Priština, and underlines “package talks“ as the basic principle of the negotiations.

The strategic document, which Tanjug has seen, states that Belgrade will seek autonomy for all Serb communities in the province on the model of Catalonia, and the status of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the model of the Vatican.

The Serbian president presented the draft platform for Kosovo to leaders of opposition parties on Thursday.

In the version of the document published by some media, the Serbian authorities demand a high level of territorial and political autonomy for the Serb municipalities, "modeled after Catalonia".

According to this, they also want "autonomy to be guaranteed by the province’s highest legal bills and that the international community officials, who are taking part in the negotiations, stand behind it".

Kosovo Serbs on platform

Mayors of some Kosovo towns said on Thursday that they expected the platform “to treat state and interests of Kosovo Serbs in the right way”.

Peć Mayor Miloš Dimitrijević said that it was in Serbs best interest to stay in Kosovo and that he therefore expected the platform to adequately view the position of Serbs in the entire province.

“I believe it is written in such manner,” he told Tanjug, while Obilić Mayor Goran Dančetović said he hoped the platform would guarantee that Serbs would remain in Kosovo.

He told Tanjug that he had received an invitation to a meeting with the president and that he expected to see how the document would treat the Serbs south of the Ibar River and Serbian institutions in that part of the province.

“Survival of the Serbian community living in the province largely depends of the survival of the Serbian institutions in Kosovo and Metohija,” Dančetović underscored.

Štrpce Mayor Zvonko Mihajlović believes that Kosovo Serbs should have been involved in the work on the platform from the beginning.

“They understand the problems the best and this way Kosovo Serbs have a fait accompli and I am afraid that the platform would remain a ‘dead letter’ like previous resolutions and declarations,” he noted.