Serbs reiterate rejection of K. Albanian authorities

RUDARE Several hundred citizens from Kosovska Mitrovica and Zvecan gathered for a rally in the nearby village of Rudare late on Thursday. Their message was that they did not want the Serb-majority north to be integrated into the so-called “Kosovo society” and that they would not allow Pristina's institutions to start working in northern Kosovo. Serbs reiterate rejection of K. Albanian authorities The protest rally came on the anniversary of the Pristina government's attempt to take over the Jarinje and Brnjak administrative crossings - a move that caused a serious crisis in the area, prompting local Serbs to set up barricades on the roads leading to the gates. The citizens, representatives of the two municipalities in northern Kosovo and head of Kosovska Mitrovica District Radenko Nedeljkovic today first went on a protest walk from the road intersection in Rudare, Zvecan municipality, to the metal cross that the Serbs erected on the Leposavic-Zvecan-Kosovska Mitrovica road last summer. Addressing the assembled citizens, Zvecan Mayor Dragisa Milovic said that “the people helped prevent the Kosovo north from being occupied last summer.” He accused Belgrade's negotiator appointed by the previous government, Borislav Stefanovic, of telling people on the ground one thing while negotiating something completely different in Brussels. Milovic stressed that the strategy for Kosovo and Metohija must be drawn up by Belgrade and the Serbs in the province together. “We support the position of the new president that the platform and strategy for the defense of Kosovo should be worked out in the republic parliament, that Serbs from the province should be involved in the future talks and that the negotiating process should be brought under UN auspices,” underlined Milovic. He stressed that the EULEX mission was not status neutral and that “thanks to this mission, the situation on the ground has worsened." President of the Kosovska Mitrovica municipality Krstimir Pantic said that the desire of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija was to remain living in the province and to be rightful citizens of the Republic of Serbia. From July 25 last year onwards, he said, KFOR “turned against the Serbs, taking the Albanians' side,” and is trying to do “what Pristina has not been able to achieve for the last 12 years.” Radenko Nedeljkovic said that the people had gathered for the rally to send a message to the international community, Belgrade and Pristina that they had not given up on their goals. “The only thing we want is to stay here under the full sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia. We have the institutions of the Republic of Serbia, which are a guarantee of survival in this region,” said Nedeljkovic. Also on Thursday, Serbs blocked a road on the administrative line between central Serbia and Kosovo. A file photo of Serbs protesting in northern Kosovo (Tanjug) Tanjug

Serbs reiterate rejection of K. Albanian authorities

The protest rally came on the anniversary of the Priština government's attempt to take over the Jarinje and Brnjak administrative crossings - a move that caused a serious crisis in the area, prompting local Serbs to set up barricades on the roads leading to the gates.

The citizens, representatives of the two municipalities in northern Kosovo and head of Kosovska Mitrovica District Radenko Nedeljković today first went on a protest walk from the road intersection in Rudare, Zvečan municipality, to the metal cross that the Serbs erected on the Leposavić-Zvečan-Kosovska Mitrovica road last summer.

Addressing the assembled citizens, Zvečan Mayor Dragiša Milović said that “the people helped prevent the Kosovo north from being occupied last summer.”

He accused Belgrade's negotiator appointed by the previous government, Borislav Stefanović, of telling people on the ground one thing while negotiating something completely different in Brussels.

Milović stressed that the strategy for Kosovo and Metohija must be drawn up by Belgrade and the Serbs in the province together.

“We support the position of the new president that the platform and strategy for the defense of Kosovo should be worked out in the republic parliament, that Serbs from the province should be involved in the future talks and that the negotiating process should be brought under UN auspices,” underlined Milović.

He stressed that the EULEX mission was not status neutral and that “thanks to this mission, the situation on the ground has worsened."

President of the Kosovska Mitrovica municipality Krstimir Pantić said that the desire of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija was to remain living in the province and to be rightful citizens of the Republic of Serbia.

From July 25 last year onwards, he said, KFOR “turned against the Serbs, taking the Albanians' side,” and is trying to do “what Priština has not been able to achieve for the last 12 years.”

Radenko Nedeljković said that the people had gathered for the rally to send a message to the international community, Belgrade and Priština that they had not given up on their goals.

“The only thing we want is to stay here under the full sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia. We have the institutions of the Republic of Serbia, which are a guarantee of survival in this region,” said Nedeljković.

Also on Thursday, Serbs blocked a road on the administrative line between central Serbia and Kosovo.