Kosovo office chief visits returnees

Kosovo office chief visits returnees

Đurić pointed out that Serbs living in that part of Kosovo are in the most difficult position, and stressed that he expects officials of the political parties of Kosovo Albanians to provide them support and protection.

“If you want Serbs to participate in the government, if you want the support of the Srpska slate in forming the government, you must provide support to the Serbs in Metohija, and show that you want the normalization of relations,” Đurić told the Albanians in the province.

He stressed, however, that the biggest responsibility for the safety of Serbs and the normalization of relations lies with the holders of political power in the province.

He urged the authorities and institutions in Priština to improve their cooperation with Serbs and the Serb-majority municipalities “in order to solve the problems that are huge but still possible to resolve."

"We have extended our hand to the Albanians, and we expect them to provide safety to Serbs, which is an indispensable condition", said Đurić, adding that the Belgrade authorities have demonstrated that stability is in the long-term interest of Serbia and that they look after their citizens in Kosovo.

"We are sending a message to Kosovo Albanians, to those who decide today or who will be deciding in Priština tomorrow, that, if they want Serb participation in the government and the support of the Serb community, they must earn it with their support to the Serbs in their attempt and struggle to survive and stay, and lead normal lives in Kosovo and Metohija,” said Đurić.

He visited a unit of the Osojane-based 'Rados Tosic' school which has been moved to the village of Vidanje and placed in a private house where electricity has been cut off and where no basic learning conditions have been met.

The director of the government's Office for Kosovo met with the local officials to discuss the construction of a school in Vidanje, the village with the highest number of Serb returnees in the Klina municipality, stressing that the government will make sure that the children of Serb refugees will have a normal education under the same conditions as all the other children in Serbia.

Đurić also visited Osojane, where he met with the interim authorities and discussed the problems and the assistance to be provided to the municipality, after which he visited the returnee family Ostojić.