CoE official meets with north Kosovo mayors

CoE Political Affairs Committee Rapporteur on Kosovo Committee Bjorn von Sydow met in Kosovska Mitrovica with heads of four Serb municipalities in the north. The meeting on Wednesday focused on the situation on the ground, issues related to the return of property, internally displaced persons and Kosovska Mitrovica's court, Sydow stated. CoE official meets with north Kosovo mayors "In my opinion, it is of immense importance to have an effective court," Sydow told journalists following the meeting, and announced that in mid-November he will inform the Political Affairs Committee about the situation in Kosovo, and later write a report and present it to the Parliamentary Assembly (PACE). He recalled that in early October presidents of four municipalities in the northern part of Kosovo demanded in writing a visit from the CoE special representative, and that is the reason for his arrival. "We agreed to continue with contacts. I am hopeful that the talks between Belgrade and Pristina will be resumed and that it would be possible to find solutions for technical issues," he said. Sydow added that presidents of four municipalities in the north of Kosovo were satisfied with the report which he put forward to the PACE a month ago, and president of the municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica Krstimir Pantic confirmed that. Pantic said that the talks centered on issues related to human rights of the Serbs residing in Kosovo, prospects for the return of property to internally displaced persons, prospects for the return of more than 250,000 Serbs and other non-Albanians to Kosovo-Metohija, establishment of the rule of law, namely the opening of Kosovska Mitrovica's court and the crisis in the north of the province which has lasted since July 25. “We voiced our view that Pristina provoked the crisis with its unilateral moves, and that the situation must be resolved by peaceful means. A solution must satisfy both Serbs and Albanians in the northern part of the province, as well as the Republic of Serbia,” Pantic said. “We underlined that a solution must not be imposed, and that it should be acceptable for all,” he said. According to Pantic, Sydow backed that stand. Apart from Pantic, president of the municipality of Leposavic Branko Ninic, his colleague from Zubin Potok Slavisa Ristic and Zvecan president Dragisa Milovic talked with Sydow at the OSCE headquarters in Kosovska Mitrovica. Bjorn von Sydow addresses reporters (Tanjug)

CoE official meets with north Kosovo mayors

"In my opinion, it is of immense importance to have an effective court," Sydow told journalists following the meeting, and announced that in mid-November he will inform the Political Affairs Committee about the situation in Kosovo, and later write a report and present it to the Parliamentary Assembly (PACE).

He recalled that in early October presidents of four municipalities in the northern part of Kosovo demanded in writing a visit from the CoE special representative, and that is the reason for his arrival.

"We agreed to continue with contacts. I am hopeful that the talks between Belgrade and Priština will be resumed and that it would be possible to find solutions for technical issues," he said.

Sydow added that presidents of four municipalities in the north of Kosovo were satisfied with the report which he put forward to the PACE a month ago, and president of the municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica Krstimir Pantić confirmed that.

Pantić said that the talks centered on issues related to human rights of the Serbs residing in Kosovo, prospects for the return of property to internally displaced persons, prospects for the return of more than 250,000 Serbs and other non-Albanians to Kosovo-Metohija, establishment of the rule of law, namely the opening of Kosovska Mitrovica's court and the crisis in the north of the province which has lasted since July 25.

“We voiced our view that Priština provoked the crisis with its unilateral moves, and that the situation must be resolved by peaceful means. A solution must satisfy both Serbs and Albanians in the northern part of the province, as well as the Republic of Serbia,” Pantić said.

“We underlined that a solution must not be imposed, and that it should be acceptable for all,” he said.

According to Pantić, Sydow backed that stand.

Apart from Pantić, president of the municipality of Leposavić Branko Ninić, his colleague from Zubin Potok Slaviša Ristić and Zvečan president Dragiša Milović talked with Sydow at the OSCE headquarters in Kosovska Mitrovica.