Three northern mayors cut cooperation with Stefanović

The mayors of Kosovska Mitrovica, Zvecan and Zubin Potok say they do not wish to further cooperate with Kosovo talks Belgrade team chief Borislav Stefanovic. The reason for this, the municipal heads in the three Serb towns in northern Kosovo said, was because they no longer trusted him. Three northern mayors cut cooperation with Stefanovic The mayors, who are officials of the Democratic Party of Serbia and the Serb Progressive Party, said Stefanovic had accepted a harmful agreement on the customs stamp with Pristina representatives at the last round of talks in Brussels. They believe the Serbian parliament should debate the agreement. Leposavic Mayor Branko Nincc of the Democratic Party did not appear at a joint news conference called by the three mayors. Head of the Kosovska Mitrovica District Radenko Nedeljkovic, also an official from the Democratic Party, told Tanjug he expects Stefanovic to further clarify the progress of the dialogue in Brussels. He did not want to speculate, however, as to whether the people had lost their trust in Stefanovic, as three of his fellow officials claim. The three mayors (Beta) "KFOR road blocks may lead to Serb road blocks" Local officials in northern Kosovo said Monday Serbs could block roads once again if KFOR continues to block roads connecting the northern part of the province with central Serbia. Zvecan Mayor Dragisa Milovic, of the Democratic Party of Serbia, confirmed that KFOR has completely blocked the crossing toward Novi Pazar at the village of Izvori and "the situation is getting tense and complicated." Milovic said "KFOR is trying to turn administrative crossings in the north of the province into border crossings, putting itself in the service of Kosovo institutions and doing Hashim Thaci's dirty work." If the alternative crossings in northern Kosovo are hermetically closed, we will not allow KFOR to bring supplies using that route. Let them bring in supplies for their troops from the air, Milovic said. Head of the Kosovska Mitrovica District Radenko Nedeljkovic commented on the possible new roadblocks saying it is a logical move and a legal and legitimate right of the people, who want to peacefully oppose KFOR's recent moves. "People will not sit idly in their homes and watch the administrative line get closed down, and watch us being shut into a ghetto and surrounded by barbed wire by the international community. I expect the people will go out into the streets peacefully to say they do not want to be separated from Serbia," he said. Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor Krstimir Pantic said the people, upset by recent event, are exerting huge pressure on the local administration and will "it seems, block both bridges in the town of their own initiative, which will extend the block from Mitrovica to Jarinje." He called on the international community, primarily on KFOR, to work to calm the situation, warning they will not be able to control it if it escalates. "Some other people will then take over, and we will have to step back. It is up to KFOR to decide it they want these problems solved through peaceful means, by agreement and in line with Resolution 1244, or if they will allow radical elements both on the Albanian and on the Serb side to take the initiative, which is not in the interest of the people, or of KFOR, he said. Zubin Potok Mayor Slavisa Ristic said Serbs in northern Kosovo can protest peacefully, and KFOR will have to show its true face in the end - "either they are occupying forces or a peacekeeping mission." Ristic said "the Serbian government will also be forced to show their true face," so the people will know if they have been sold out and betrayed or if Serbia really wants to fight for its sovereignty. He said students from Ibarski Kolasin will hold a protest in Zubin Potok on Tuesday, as part of the peaceful resistance to the pressure of Kosovo institutions which are trying to integrate themselves in northern Kosovo.

Three northern mayors cut cooperation with Stefanović

The mayors, who are officials of the Democratic Party of Serbia and the Serb Progressive Party, said Stefanović had accepted a harmful agreement on the customs stamp with Priština representatives at the last round of talks in Brussels.

They believe the Serbian parliament should debate the agreement.

Leposavić Mayor Branko Ninćc of the Democratic Party did not appear at a joint news conference called by the three mayors.

Head of the Kosovska Mitrovica District Radenko Nedeljković, also an official from the Democratic Party, told Tanjug he expects Stefanović to further clarify the progress of the dialogue in Brussels.

He did not want to speculate, however, as to whether the people had lost their trust in Stefanović, as three of his fellow officials claim.

"KFOR road blocks may lead to Serb road blocks"

Local officials in northern Kosovo said Monday Serbs could block roads once again if KFOR continues to block roads connecting the northern part of the province with central Serbia.

Zvečan Mayor Dragiša Milović, of the Democratic Party of Serbia, confirmed that KFOR has completely blocked the crossing toward Novi Pazar at the village of Izvori and "the situation is getting tense and complicated."

Milovic said "KFOR is trying to turn administrative crossings in the north of the province into border crossings, putting itself in the service of Kosovo institutions and doing Hashim Thaci's dirty work."

If the alternative crossings in northern Kosovo are hermetically closed, we will not allow KFOR to bring supplies using that route. Let them bring in supplies for their troops from the air, Milović said.

Head of the Kosovska Mitrovica District Radenko Nedeljković commented on the possible new roadblocks saying it is a logical move and a legal and legitimate right of the people, who want to peacefully oppose KFOR's recent moves.

"People will not sit idly in their homes and watch the administrative line get closed down, and watch us being shut into a ghetto and surrounded by barbed wire by the international community. I expect the people will go out into the streets peacefully to say they do not want to be separated from Serbia," he said.

Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor Krstimir Pantić said the people, upset by recent event, are exerting huge pressure on the local administration and will "it seems, block both bridges in the town of their own initiative, which will extend the block from Mitrovica to Jarinje."

He called on the international community, primarily on KFOR, to work to calm the situation, warning they will not be able to control it if it escalates.

"Some other people will then take over, and we will have to step back. It is up to KFOR to decide it they want these problems solved through peaceful means, by agreement and in line with Resolution 1244, or if they will allow radical elements both on the Albanian and on the Serb side to take the initiative, which is not in the interest of the people, or of KFOR, he said.

Zubin Potok Mayor Slaviša Ristić said Serbs in northern Kosovo can protest peacefully, and KFOR will have to show its true face in the end - "either they are occupying forces or a peacekeeping mission."

Ristić said "the Serbian government will also be forced to show their true face," so the people will know if they have been sold out and betrayed or if Serbia really wants to fight for its sovereignty.

He said students from Ibarski Kolašin will hold a protest in Zubin Potok on Tuesday, as part of the peaceful resistance to the pressure of Kosovo institutions which are trying to integrate themselves in northern Kosovo.