Tadić calls for end to riots

There must be no violence in Serbia, President Boris Tadic said late Tuesday in Belgrade. "Only peace and reasonable moves give us an opportunity to defend our Kosovo with good arguments. Any violence is taking those arguments from our hands and damaging us," he said in reaction to three days of rioting in Belgrade and other towns. Tadic calls for end to riots The anger poured onto the streets, mostly driven by young men identified by the media, but not the MUP, as football hooligans, when ethnic Albanians in Kosovo unilaterally declared independence Sunday. Diplomatic offices and business of those countries who supported this, and later recognized Kosovo as an independent state against Serbia's wishes, were targeted. The president called for rioting and destruction of property to "stop immediately". Monday, Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica also called on citizens to stop the street unrest. Some observers described the large government-sponsored protest rally scheduled for Thursday as a "good idea to channel the protest", and give it a chance to run its course in a non-violent way. In his address Tuesday, Tadic also linked the issue of the Kosovo Serbs' safety with "thoughtless gestures" and appealed on everyone not to behave in a violent and provocative way so that the "state could do its job". Tadic also said he was "against any rallies where party leaders would address those gathered", since Kosovo is, in his words, a "national and state issue that must not be abused for partisan purposes". Meanwhile, the Ministry of the Interior, MUP, summed up its busy three days in the Serbian streets in a statement for the public. 51 of its officers, and 34 civilians were hurt in the riots, it said. "On Sunday, February 17, 2008, in the evening hours, and in the course of the next two days, there were several spontaneous gatherings of people in Serbia, where several thousand citizens expressed their dissatisfaction with the declaration of independence of the fake state of Kosovo," the MUP said. The statement specified that the diplomatic offices of the United States, Slovenia, Turkey, Canada, and Iran were damaged, as well as ten McDonald's restaurants, 52 retail stores and four buildings housing political parties' offices. A number of vehicles, street lights and traffic signs were also destroyed. "All this was mostly caused by small groups of young participants," the MUP said, refraining from referring to them as "hooligans". "The Ministry of the Interior is appealing to all citizens of Serbia, and especially to sports clubs and their supporters, to cooperate with the police in maintaining the public order, peace, and full protection of personal safety and property of all. We call on everyone to express their dissatisfaction in a peaceful manner, and with dignity that becomes our citizens," the statement concluded.

Tadić calls for end to riots

The anger poured onto the streets, mostly driven by young men identified by the media, but not the MUP, as football hooligans, when ethnic Albanians in Kosovo unilaterally declared independence Sunday.

Diplomatic offices and business of those countries who supported this, and later recognized Kosovo as an independent state against Serbia's wishes, were targeted.

The president called for rioting and destruction of property to "stop immediately".

Monday, Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica also called on citizens to stop the street unrest.

Some observers described the large government-sponsored protest rally scheduled for Thursday as a "good idea to channel the protest", and give it a chance to run its course in a non-violent way.

In his address Tuesday, Tadić also linked the issue of the Kosovo Serbs' safety with "thoughtless gestures" and appealed on everyone not to behave in a violent and provocative way so that the "state could do its job".

Tadić also said he was "against any rallies where party leaders would address those gathered", since Kosovo is, in his words, a "national and state issue that must not be abused for partisan purposes".

Meanwhile, the Ministry of the Interior, MUP, summed up its busy three days in the Serbian streets in a statement for the public.

51 of its officers, and 34 civilians were hurt in the riots, it said.

"On Sunday, February 17, 2008, in the evening hours, and in the course of the next two days, there were several spontaneous gatherings of people in Serbia, where several thousand citizens expressed their dissatisfaction with the declaration of independence of the fake state of Kosovo," the MUP said.

The statement specified that the diplomatic offices of the United States, Slovenia, Turkey, Canada, and Iran were damaged, as well as ten McDonald's restaurants, 52 retail stores and four buildings housing political parties' offices.

A number of vehicles, street lights and traffic signs were also destroyed.

"All this was mostly caused by small groups of young participants," the MUP said, refraining from referring to them as "hooligans".

"The Ministry of the Interior is appealing to all citizens of Serbia, and especially to sports clubs and their supporters, to cooperate with the police in maintaining the public order, peace, and full protection of personal safety and property of all. We call on everyone to express their dissatisfaction in a peaceful manner, and with dignity that becomes our citizens," the statement concluded.