Punish perpetrators, asks Ivanović

Oliver Ivanovic says the police, EULEX and KFOR should determine who initiated the most recent incidents in northern Kosovska Mitrovica. The state secretary with the Kosovo Ministry told Tanjug on Monday that "there should be no speculation about who caused the latest incidents", and that the police should conduct a comprehensive investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice. Punish perpetrators, asks Ivanovic Ivanovic stated that tensions have been evident in northern Kosovo since Feb 17, 2008, when Kosovo Albanians unilaterally declared independence, while the Serbs clearly stated they would not accept it. He went on to say that he is optimistic, and believes the situation would stabilization, adding that "the fact that KFOR has upped its presence and deployed its troops in the city is encouraging". Meanwhile police are describing the situation in Kosovska Mitrovica as "calm, but fragile". Kosovo police, KPS, are yet to arrest the perpetators who struck on Saturday, first throwing an explosive device at a café frequented by Serbs, and then at firefighters putting out the flames at an Albanian-owned store set on fire after the first incident. Six Serb firefighters, a reporter and a cameraman were hurt in the hand grenade explosion. Last night, two Serbs were assaulted, while last week a 16-year-old Serb was stabbed. "Albanians, Serbs organize in groups" In the Bosnjacka Mahala community of northern Kosovska Mitrovica, after the last inter-ethnic incidents, there are now several groups of security: KFOR, police, but also groups of Albanians and Serbs, Koha Ditore writes. According to this Albanian language daily, the Albanians organized the groups themselves because they "do not trust the police officials in the northern police station of Kosovska Mitrovica". They are demanding the presence of officials of the “special units of Kosovo police,” and reparations for the damages incurred from the attacks “by organized Serbian state structures". At the same time, the newspaper says, Serbs are also demanding permanent checkpoints manned by KFOR troops to be located on the ethnic dividing lines which separate Serbs and Albanians in the northern part of the city. Kosovo police, KPS, spokesman Veton Elshani told Tanjug news agency that police are “intensively investigating all incidents” which have occurred over the last several days in the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica and are doing everything to find and arrest those responsible for the violence. “We will investigate all incidents which occurred and we will try to make sure that the people responsible for them are put in prison. We know what the situation is like in northern Kosovo and that is why we are being very careful,” Elshani said.

Punish perpetrators, asks Ivanović

Ivanović stated that tensions have been evident in northern Kosovo since Feb 17, 2008, when Kosovo Albanians unilaterally declared independence, while the Serbs clearly stated they would not accept it.

He went on to say that he is optimistic, and believes the situation would stabilization, adding that "the fact that KFOR has upped its presence and deployed its troops in the city is encouraging".

Meanwhile police are describing the situation in Kosovska Mitrovica as "calm, but fragile".

Kosovo police, KPS, are yet to arrest the perpetators who struck on Saturday, first throwing an explosive device at a café frequented by Serbs, and then at firefighters putting out the flames at an Albanian-owned store set on fire after the first incident.

Six Serb firefighters, a reporter and a cameraman were hurt in the hand grenade explosion.

Last night, two Serbs were assaulted, while last week a 16-year-old Serb was stabbed.

"Albanians, Serbs organize in groups"

In the Bošnjačka Mahala community of northern Kosovska Mitrovica, after the last inter-ethnic incidents, there are now several groups of security: KFOR, police, but also groups of Albanians and Serbs, Koha Ditore writes.

According to this Albanian language daily, the Albanians organized the groups themselves because they "do not trust the police officials in the northern police station of Kosovska Mitrovica".

They are demanding the presence of officials of the “special units of Kosovo police,” and reparations for the damages incurred from the attacks “by organized Serbian state structures".

At the same time, the newspaper says, Serbs are also demanding permanent checkpoints manned by KFOR troops to be located on the ethnic dividing lines which separate Serbs and Albanians in the northern part of the city.

Kosovo police, KPS, spokesman Veton Elshani told Tanjug news agency that police are “intensively investigating all incidents” which have occurred over the last several days in the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica and are doing everything to find and arrest those responsible for the violence.

“We will investigate all incidents which occurred and we will try to make sure that the people responsible for them are put in prison. We know what the situation is like in northern Kosovo and that is why we are being very careful,” Elshani said.