Kosovo Serbs warn of deteriorating security in north

LEPOSAVIC Representatives of four northern Kosovo municipalities have urged the Serbian authorities to be more actively involved in solving of issues in the north. They stressed that the security situation in the north of the province had deteriorated. Kosovo Serbs warn of deteriorating security in north “The Republic of Serbia’s competent organs need to be more decisive in their involvement in the solving of concrete problems that burden our citizens’ everyday lives, endanger their safety and national interests,” the representatives of the four northern Kosovo municipalities pointed out. They expressed expectation that “a better coordination of the republic organs and local self-governments in Kosovo will be established”. The municipal leaders assessed at a meeting in Leposavic on Wednesday that the security situation had additionally deteriorated in the area in the previous several days. Kosovska Mitrovica, Leposavic, Zvecan and Zubin Potok mayors, assembly speakers and municipal council members attended the meeting. In a joint statement for Beta news agency they said that KFOR members “are preventing the freedom of movement of people and goods in the Raska-Tresava-Leposavic region and on other roads and by doing so making the citizens every day life difficult”. “KFOR is once again overstepping its mandate and violating the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and instead of creating a safe environment for all citizens, especially for Serbs in northern Kosovo and those living in enclaves, helping more than 200 internally displaced to return and helping find perpetrators of crimes against Serbs, the military mission is helping Albanian institutions to complete their independence,” reads the release. The northern Kosovo Serb representatives added that the Kosovo Serbs wanted to live “as all other free and democratic people in their state of Serbia” and that they would not accept the Pristina institutions and allow them to set up border with central Serbia. They called on KFOR to be status neutral and to return to its mandate, perform its duties in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and not to prevent the movement of people and goods in northern Kosovo. KFOR soldiers have blocked an alternative road in Leposavic that Serbs use to bring supplies because they do not want to use the official crossings at which Kosovo customs officers are present. The Serbs stress that they cannot pay customs duties for their goods because they would recognize Kosovo’s independence that way. Beta

Kosovo Serbs warn of deteriorating security in north

“The Republic of Serbia’s competent organs need to be more decisive in their involvement in the solving of concrete problems that burden our citizens’ everyday lives, endanger their safety and national interests,” the representatives of the four northern Kosovo municipalities pointed out.

They expressed expectation that “a better coordination of the republic organs and local self-governments in Kosovo will be established”.

The municipal leaders assessed at a meeting in Leposavić on Wednesday that the security situation had additionally deteriorated in the area in the previous several days.

Kosovska Mitrovica, Leposavić, Zvečan and Zubin Potok mayors, assembly speakers and municipal council members attended the meeting.

In a joint statement for Beta news agency they said that KFOR members “are preventing the freedom of movement of people and goods in the Raška-Tresava-Leposavić region and on other roads and by doing so making the citizens every day life difficult”.

“KFOR is once again overstepping its mandate and violating the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and instead of creating a safe environment for all citizens, especially for Serbs in northern Kosovo and those living in enclaves, helping more than 200 internally displaced to return and helping find perpetrators of crimes against Serbs, the military mission is helping Albanian institutions to complete their independence,” reads the release.

The northern Kosovo Serb representatives added that the Kosovo Serbs wanted to live “as all other free and democratic people in their state of Serbia” and that they would not accept the Priština institutions and allow them to set up border with central Serbia.

They called on KFOR to be status neutral and to return to its mandate, perform its duties in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and not to prevent the movement of people and goods in northern Kosovo.

KFOR soldiers have blocked an alternative road in Leposavić that Serbs use to bring supplies because they do not want to use the official crossings at which Kosovo customs officers are present. The Serbs stress that they cannot pay customs duties for their goods because they would recognize Kosovo’s independence that way.