Minister dismisses Jarinje incident speculation

Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic has rejected as false claims that Serbs manning the barricades in Kosovo were "under the influence of criminals". Speaking for B92 in Belgrade on Friday, Bogdanovic also dismissed claims that Serbs were to blame for the clash that erupted on the Jarinje administrative line checkpoint on September 27, that involved the protesters and KFOR soldiers. Minister dismisses Jarinje incident speculation A number of people were injured during the incident. "Serbs did not shoot first, it was the other way around. Serbs responded with rocks to tear-gas and stun grenades," the minister said. He added that it was not true that there was a video tape made by the NATO troops in the province that allegedly showed the protesting Serbs initiate the confrontation. "There is no KFOR video; if there was one, it would've been shown around the world," Bogdanovic stated, and added that he "heard the Serbs did not start the clash from serious people". The minister also rejected accusations that Serbs at the barricades were "under the influence of criminals", noting that they were "ordinary people protesting peacefully". Bogdanovic revealed that members of his own family were at the barricades. The minister also stated that he was in favor of determining the truth about the Jarinje clash, and that the truth should not be hidden from the citizens of Serbia. The speculation that a businessman from Kosovska Mitrovica organized a group that attacked KFOR on September 27 started with a report earlier this month in the Pristina-based Albanian language daily Koha Ditore. Bogdanovic said today that he told the visiting EU mediator in the Kosovo talks, Robert Cooper, that problems related to the administrative line checkpoints must be solved, "because otherwise it will not be possible to implement agreements that will be reached". The Serbian government and local Serbs are opposed to attempts to install customs and police of the Kosovo Albanian government in Pristina at Brnjak and Jarinje. Serbs in the north, where they form a majority, also rejected the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration of independence made in February 2008. Goran Bogdanovic is seen in Belgrade on Friday (Tanjug)

Minister dismisses Jarinje incident speculation

A number of people were injured during the incident.

"Serbs did not shoot first, it was the other way around. Serbs responded with rocks to tear-gas and stun grenades," the minister said.

He added that it was not true that there was a video tape made by the NATO troops in the province that allegedly showed the protesting Serbs initiate the confrontation.

"There is no KFOR video; if there was one, it would've been shown around the world," Bogdanović stated, and added that he "heard the Serbs did not start the clash from serious people".

The minister also rejected accusations that Serbs at the barricades were "under the influence of criminals", noting that they were "ordinary people protesting peacefully".

Bogdanović revealed that members of his own family were at the barricades.

The minister also stated that he was in favor of determining the truth about the Jarinje clash, and that the truth should not be hidden from the citizens of Serbia.

The speculation that a businessman from Kosovska Mitrovica organized a group that attacked KFOR on September 27 started with a report earlier this month in the Priština-based Albanian language daily Koha Ditore.

Bogdanović said today that he told the visiting EU mediator in the Kosovo talks, Robert Cooper, that problems related to the administrative line checkpoints must be solved, "because otherwise it will not be possible to implement agreements that will be reached".

The Serbian government and local Serbs are opposed to attempts to install customs and police of the Kosovo Albanian government in Priština at Brnjak and Jarinje.

Serbs in the north, where they form a majority, also rejected the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration of independence made in February 2008.