North K. Mitrovica mayor refuses to verify mandate

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA Krstimir Pantic, who was in November elected as mayor of northern Kosovska Mitrovica, on Saturday refused to sign a paper containing the oath of office. He told the FoNet news agency on Sunday that the document had "the coat of arms of Kosovo and the inscription Kosovo Republic covered with a white paper." North K. Mitrovica mayor refuses to verify mandate With this Pantic failed to verify his mandate, which could cause new elections for the mayor of this municipality. Earlier on Saturday, Krstic also resigned as deputy director of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija. “As I do not want to inflict any damage to the Serbian government and citizens of Serbia by my actions I hereby submit an irrevocable resignation to the position of deputy director,” Pantic said in a written statement for the media. He said that he would inform Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic about his resignation on Monday. Pantic addressed the public pointing to the important facts which must not be hidden under any circumstances. He said that the latest developments regarding the constitution of the municipal assemblies in north Kosovo and Metohija are obstructed not only by Pristina, but also by Brussels. He underlined that the elections in Kosovo, which were allegedly status-neutral in the organization of the OSCE Mission, were one big deception by the international community, adding that after the election material was handed in, the Kosovo coat of arms and the inscription “the Republic of Kosovo” were put on it thus violating one of the basic principles of the mission's operation. "Indecent proposals are coming from EU officials referring to the formation of the municipal assemblies in north Kosovo and Metohija," he said. "It has been proposed that the mayors should make solemn statements in the presence of reporters, and then in the closed part of the session, without the presence of reporters, they would sign a statement wearing Kosovo's coat of arms," Pantic said. (Tanjug, file) FoNet Tanjug

North K. Mitrovica mayor refuses to verify mandate

With this Pantić failed to verify his mandate, which could cause new elections for the mayor of this municipality.

Earlier on Saturday, Krstić also resigned as deputy director of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija.

“As I do not want to inflict any damage to the Serbian government and citizens of Serbia by my actions I hereby submit an irrevocable resignation to the position of deputy director,” Pantić said in a written statement for the media.

He said that he would inform Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić and First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić about his resignation on Monday.

Pantić addressed the public pointing to the important facts which must not be hidden under any circumstances. He said that the latest developments regarding the constitution of the municipal assemblies in north Kosovo and Metohija are obstructed not only by Priština, but also by Brussels.

He underlined that the elections in Kosovo, which were allegedly status-neutral in the organization of the OSCE Mission, were one big deception by the international community, adding that after the election material was handed in, the Kosovo coat of arms and the inscription “the Republic of Kosovo” were put on it thus violating one of the basic principles of the mission's operation.

"Indecent proposals are coming from EU officials referring to the formation of the municipal assemblies in north Kosovo and Metohija," he said.

"It has been proposed that the mayors should make solemn statements in the presence of reporters, and then in the closed part of the session, without the presence of reporters, they would sign a statement wearing Kosovo's coat of arms," Pantić said.