N. Kosovo Serbs partially remove barricades

Northern Kosovo Serbs removed a part of the barricade on the Kosovska Mitrovica-Ribarice road in the village of Zupce on Thursday morning. The barricade is located on the road leading to the Brnjak administrative crossing. N. Kosovo Serbs partially remove barricades The Serbs removed large logs from one traffic lane. Two KFOR vehicles have already passed trhough. An armored KFOR vehicle and several soldiers were located about 300 meters from the barricade that the Serbs were dismantling. A part of the barricade leading to the Jarinje administrative checkpoint was also removed this morning and one lane is now open for traffic. According to the plan adopted by the four northern Kosovo mayors and the Kosovska Mitrovica District head, barricades will on Thursday be partially removed from the east bridge over the Ibar River in Kosovska Mitrovica and from the entrance to Leposavic. Serbs are still keeping watch at the other barricades, such as those at the main bridge over the Ibar River in Kosovska Mitrovica and in the villages of Jagnjenica and Rudare near Zvecan. They said they would monitor the situation on the roads that were partially unblocked this morning. According to the plan, the roads will be open for transportation of fuel and food for KFOR troops but not for EULEX members. Zubin Potok Mayor Slavisa Ristic has said that he expects KFOR to accept the removal of barricades as a sign of good will and that Serbs will be willing to allow normal functioning of the international forces. He warned, however, that they could quickly rebuild barricades. “However, if they try in any way to take advantage of citizens’ good will and try to occupy this area with their troops and continue operations in order to set up the border on the administrative crossing, then it won’t be good, people will certainly react and set up not only this but other barricades as well,” he explained. Serbian government's Media Office Chief Milivoje Mihajlovic has stated that the partial removal of barricades for the passage of KFOR troops is the first step towards appeasing the situation in northern Kosovo, adding that dialogue is the only way to resolve problems in Kosovo. When asked about the passage of EULEX members, taking into account that the opening of one lane at the barricades only refers to the members of KFOR, he said that municipal representatives in northern Kosovo had nothing against the movement of EULEX if the mission returned to the status neutral function. Mihajlovic told B92 that he hoped EULEX would resist Pristina's pressures, and did their job as envisaged by their mandate. Assessing that dialogue was the best way to resolve all misunderstandings, he said that, at this point, wisdom was necessary for the Belgrade and Pristina teams to return to the negotiating table and continue talks on concrete issues concerning the life of ordinary people in Kosovo, both Serbs and ethnic Albanians. "This (the dialogue) is the only way to avoid the danger of entering new conflicts, and the only way to open prospects for a historical reconciliation of Serbs and Albanians, which is necessary," he stressed. Commenting Pristina's announcements to take actions so as to take over the northern Kosovo, Mihajlovic said such announcements had been made all summer, adding that they made the situation in northern Kosovo more complicated. He believes such threats are only an attempt to draw attention away from the economic and social problems in Pristina itself and that they suit solely the extremist part of Pristina authorities who are trying to move the focus of crisis to northern Kosovo in every way they can. Mihajlovic announced that, after adopting the report on the course of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and measures taken on calming down the situation in Kosovo, the government would forward the document to the Serbian parliament. Northern Kosovo Serbs remove barricades (Tanjug)

N. Kosovo Serbs partially remove barricades

The Serbs removed large logs from one traffic lane. Two KFOR vehicles have already passed trhough.

An armored KFOR vehicle and several soldiers were located about 300 meters from the barricade that the Serbs were dismantling.

A part of the barricade leading to the Jarinje administrative checkpoint was also removed this morning and one lane is now open for traffic.

According to the plan adopted by the four northern Kosovo mayors and the Kosovska Mitrovica District head, barricades will on Thursday be partially removed from the east bridge over the Ibar River in Kosovska Mitrovica and from the entrance to Leposavić.

Serbs are still keeping watch at the other barricades, such as those at the main bridge over the Ibar River in Kosovska Mitrovica and in the villages of Jagnjenica and Rudare near Zvečan. They said they would monitor the situation on the roads that were partially unblocked this morning.

According to the plan, the roads will be open for transportation of fuel and food for KFOR troops but not for EULEX members.

Zubin Potok Mayor Slaviša Ristić has said that he expects KFOR to accept the removal of barricades as a sign of good will and that Serbs will be willing to allow normal functioning of the international forces. He warned, however, that they could quickly rebuild barricades.

“However, if they try in any way to take advantage of citizens’ good will and try to occupy this area with their troops and continue operations in order to set up the border on the administrative crossing, then it won’t be good, people will certainly react and set up not only this but other barricades as well,” he explained.

Serbian government's Media Office Chief Milivoje Mihajlović has stated that the partial removal of barricades for the passage of KFOR troops is the first step towards appeasing the situation in northern Kosovo, adding that dialogue is the only way to resolve problems in Kosovo.

When asked about the passage of EULEX members, taking into account that the opening of one lane at the barricades only refers to the members of KFOR, he said that municipal representatives in northern Kosovo had nothing against the movement of EULEX if the mission returned to the status neutral function.

Mihajlović told B92 that he hoped EULEX would resist Priština's pressures, and did their job as envisaged by their mandate.

Assessing that dialogue was the best way to resolve all misunderstandings, he said that, at this point, wisdom was necessary for the Belgrade and Priština teams to return to the negotiating table and continue talks on concrete issues concerning the life of ordinary people in Kosovo, both Serbs and ethnic Albanians.

"This (the dialogue) is the only way to avoid the danger of entering new conflicts, and the only way to open prospects for a historical reconciliation of Serbs and Albanians, which is necessary," he stressed.

Commenting Priština's announcements to take actions so as to take over the northern Kosovo, Mihajlović said such announcements had been made all summer, adding that they made the situation in northern Kosovo more complicated.

He believes such threats are only an attempt to draw attention away from the economic and social problems in Priština itself and that they suit solely the extremist part of Priština authorities who are trying to move the focus of crisis to northern Kosovo in every way they can.

Mihajlović announced that, after adopting the report on the course of the Belgrade-Priština dialogue and measures taken on calming down the situation in Kosovo, the government would forward the document to the Serbian parliament.