Serbs should have same rights as Albanians, deputy PM says

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dacic has said that the Serbian people in Kosovo have the right to fight for their rights, just as Albanians once did. He said that if the international community had accepted that Albanians did not want to live in Serbia, it should also accept a reversed situation. Serbs should have same rights as Albanians, deputy PM says “Serbs who live in Kosovo and Metohija in fight for their rights should use all tested methods and techniques used by Albanians when they did not want to live in the Republic of Serbia,” the deputy PM pointed out. He added that there was a wrong belief within the international community that there were some criminal or extremist groups in areas where Serbs lived, which controlled the situation and that this was not an opinion of all citizens who lived there. “This is absolutely not true. It is exactly why it is important for the entire world to see that majority of citizens think that, meaning everybody. From school children to the elderly, from factory workers, to priests,” Dacic stressed. Ivica Dacic “Thaci wants new Operation Storm“ The deputy prime minister claims that Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci tried to change reality in northern Kosovo and carry out an operation similar to the Operation Storm. “Had such Thaci's attempt succeeded, we would have today talked about an exodus of Serbs from northern Kosovo and Metohija, while the international community would have, most likely, justified such actions. Therefore, the Republic of Serbia for sure has legitimate interests to fight to keep peace in Kosovo,“ he explained. He has welcomed the agreement which was reached last night with KFOR Commander Erhard Buhler regarding control over administrative crossings and expressed hope that “final solution“ will soon be found. “If the agreement is indeed accepted, it would be a temporary solution until some solution is found that would be sustainable in the long run. In any case, as long as there are negotiations, as long as there is dialogue, that's much better than clashes and conflicts,“ the minister said. According to him, the solution represents a much bigger chance for preservation of peace and stability. He stressed that the international forces' job was to ensure peace and stability and not to take sides.

Serbs should have same rights as Albanians, deputy PM says

“Serbs who live in Kosovo and Metohija in fight for their rights should use all tested methods and techniques used by Albanians when they did not want to live in the Republic of Serbia,” the deputy PM pointed out.

He added that there was a wrong belief within the international community that there were some criminal or extremist groups in areas where Serbs lived, which controlled the situation and that this was not an opinion of all citizens who lived there.

“This is absolutely not true. It is exactly why it is important for the entire world to see that majority of citizens think that, meaning everybody. From school children to the elderly, from factory workers, to priests,” Dačić stressed.

“Thaci wants new Operation Storm“

The deputy prime minister claims that Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci tried to change reality in northern Kosovo and carry out an operation similar to the Operation Storm.

“Had such Thaci's attempt succeeded, we would have today talked about an exodus of Serbs from northern Kosovo and Metohija, while the international community would have, most likely, justified such actions. Therefore, the Republic of Serbia for sure has legitimate interests to fight to keep peace in Kosovo,“ he explained.

He has welcomed the agreement which was reached last night with KFOR Commander Erhard Buhler regarding control over administrative crossings and expressed hope that “final solution“ will soon be found.

“If the agreement is indeed accepted, it would be a temporary solution until some solution is found that would be sustainable in the long run. In any case, as long as there are negotiations, as long as there is dialogue, that's much better than clashes and conflicts,“ the minister said.

According to him, the solution represents a much bigger chance for preservation of peace and stability. He stressed that the international forces' job was to ensure peace and stability and not to take sides.