New talks on Kosovo power cuts

Kosovo Ministry officials are due to meet with representatives of UNMIK and diplomatic offices in Kosovo to find a solution to the energy crisis. Ministry State Secretary Oliver Ivanovic said that he had still not received any reply from Pristina to Belgrade’s offer to settle the outstanding debts of Serbs living in the enclaves by offering them humanitarian assistance in the form of energy. New talks on Kosovo power cuts “Serb citizens have to act in an organized, civilized, and, above all, decisive manner to show that they object to these power cuts that are inappropriate during the winter months,” said Ivanovic. “An agreement and solution have to be reached through talks, and those talks have to be entered into seriously, and this needs to be done by the local authorities at their level. Quite simply because the Kosovo Ministry, like other Republic of Serbia ministries, cannot simply enter into talks with the Kosovo authorities,“ the state secretary said. “That’s the only way. And if the Serbs are sufficiently decisive, I think we’ll force the representatives of the Kosovo authorities to simply opt for talks rather than these oppressive methods,“ he explained. Two days ago the Kosovo Ministry sent a protest to UNMIK because of the problems with the electricity supply in Serb communities. Belgrade offered to form a special company to supply Serb communities in Kosovo with electrical energy. Ivanovic presumes that no reply from Pristina was forthcoming because of the confusion that reigns in the civilian missions in Kosovo. “Namely, UNMIK, which is nominally responsible for such issues, simply hasn’t the strength to implement any kind of agreement. Meanwhile, EULEX is the second strongest, second most importance international mission, but that mission doesn’t have this matter within its remit,” said the state secretary. “Therefore, we simply don’t know who to speak to, to solve this kind of problem. That’s why I mentioned the diplomatic offices, as, objectively, they appear as a third, but very influential factor, and because we have no other choice. I’ll be speaking with one of the representatives of the diplomatic offices in Pristina,” he announced. Yesterday, Serbs in Vucitrn called on UNMIK Chief Lamberto Zannier to avert a humanitarian disaster that could be brought on by the power cuts in Serb villages in Kosovo, said Vucitrn Municipal President Stojan Tomic. Meanwhile, Serbs from the village of Silovo have announced that they will resume their protests today if their power supply is not restored following a recent breakdown. Oliver Ivanovic (FoNet, archive)

New talks on Kosovo power cuts

“Serb citizens have to act in an organized, civilized, and, above all, decisive manner to show that they object to these power cuts that are inappropriate during the winter months,” said Ivanović.

“An agreement and solution have to be reached through talks, and those talks have to be entered into seriously, and this needs to be done by the local authorities at their level. Quite simply because the Kosovo Ministry, like other Republic of Serbia ministries, cannot simply enter into talks with the Kosovo authorities,“ the state secretary said.

“That’s the only way. And if the Serbs are sufficiently decisive, I think we’ll force the representatives of the Kosovo authorities to simply opt for talks rather than these oppressive methods,“ he explained.

Two days ago the Kosovo Ministry sent a protest to UNMIK because of the problems with the electricity supply in Serb communities.

Belgrade offered to form a special company to supply Serb communities in Kosovo with electrical energy.

Ivanović presumes that no reply from Priština was forthcoming because of the confusion that reigns in the civilian missions in Kosovo.

“Namely, UNMIK, which is nominally responsible for such issues, simply hasn’t the strength to implement any kind of agreement. Meanwhile, EULEX is the second strongest, second most importance international mission, but that mission doesn’t have this matter within its remit,” said the state secretary.

“Therefore, we simply don’t know who to speak to, to solve this kind of problem. That’s why I mentioned the diplomatic offices, as, objectively, they appear as a third, but very influential factor, and because we have no other choice. I’ll be speaking with one of the representatives of the diplomatic offices in Priština,” he announced.

Yesterday, Serbs in Vučitrn called on UNMIK Chief Lamberto Zannier to avert a humanitarian disaster that could be brought on by the power cuts in Serb villages in Kosovo, said Vučitrn Municipal President Stojan Tomić.

Meanwhile, Serbs from the village of Šilovo have announced that they will resume their protests today if their power supply is not restored following a recent breakdown.