Committee on Kosovo debates Belgrade-Priština agreements

BELGRADE The Serbian Parliament's Committee on Kosovo and Metohija held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss agreements reached between Belgrade and Pristina. A report on the work of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo was adopted despite criticism. Committee on Kosovo debates Belgrade-Pristina agreements Belgrade team head in technical talks with Pristina Dejan Pavicevic stated on Tuesday that there were no major problems when it comes to implementation of the agreement on the integrated crossings management at Jarinje and Merdare. Commenting on the statement of Pri[tina's customs representatives that goods should be cleared in southern part of Kosovska Mitrovica, Pavicevic said that the Serbian party would insist at Wednesday's meeting of the implementation group that "such statements should not be given." "We will insist at a meeting of the implementation group tomorrow that such statements should not be made. Our citizens need not fear any sanctions in case they do not carry their goods to southern Mitrovica for customs clearance,“ he said. Pavicevic noted that it could be seen in media that people had had positive stance since the implementation of the agreement had started and that there were less delays of traffic at the crossings between Kosovo and central Serbia, since the procedure had been simplified. He stressed that northern Kosovo Serbs had for the first gotten written guarantees that they would be able to continue to exercise their rights. Pavicevic voiced belief that neither Kosovo's institutions nor EULEX would misinterpret the agreement. Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) MPs said that the implementation of the agreement was disgraceful and that it represented "a classical establishment of borders." Pavicevic denied the allegations. War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic said that the acquittal of former commander of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) Ramush Haradinaj was a “fiasco” that came as a result of poor witness protection of the Hague Tribunal Prosecution. Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) representatives assessed that Vukcevic’s prosecution was partly responsible for the verdict. “This fiasco is a consequence of poor witness protection,” the prosecutor said at the several-hour long session and added that Serbia had submitted 198 documents to the Tribunal but that the UN court had done a “very sloppy job”. According to him, many witnesses refused to testify, changed their statements or accepted jail time due to inadequate witness protection, which led to the acquittal. The war crimes prosecutor said he was surprised he was invited to the Committee’s session and added that Committee on Kosovo Chairman Milovan Drecun’s invitation was a “personal fight” and a result of his “personal animosity” toward him. “This is my impression, maybe I’m being paranoid but I am under the impression that there is something personal here,” Vukcevic pointed out. Drecun rejected the accusations, noting that nothing could persuade him that the Serbian War Crimes Prosecution was not partially responsible for Haradinaj’s acquittal. Drecun stressed that he wanted to get answers that would reach reconciliation in the region, satisfy justice and repay the victims “that we are killing again with silence”. He added that he wanted to know who had tipped off media, causing the Prosecution to lose three witnesses. “We expected a much more detailed report, with much hope, we did not put you on a shame pole and instead we wanted to see what we could do together, do something that would contribute to justice and reconciliation with teamwork, regardless of our professional differences,” Drecun explained. The session lasted for four hours and the report on the work of the Serbian government’s Office for Kosovo was adopted despite strong criticism of both the report and Office for Kosovo Director Aleksandar Vulin who did not attend the session. (Tanjug, file) B92 Beta Tanjug

Committee on Kosovo debates Belgrade-Priština agreements

Belgrade team head in technical talks with Priština Dejan Pavićević stated on Tuesday that there were no major problems when it comes to implementation of the agreement on the integrated crossings management at Jarinje and Merdare.

Commenting on the statement of Pri[tina's customs representatives that goods should be cleared in southern part of Kosovska Mitrovica, Pavićević said that the Serbian party would insist at Wednesday's meeting of the implementation group that "such statements should not be given."

"We will insist at a meeting of the implementation group tomorrow that such statements should not be made. Our citizens need not fear any sanctions in case they do not carry their goods to southern Mitrovica for customs clearance,“ he said.

Pavićević noted that it could be seen in media that people had had positive stance since the implementation of the agreement had started and that there were less delays of traffic at the crossings between Kosovo and central Serbia, since the procedure had been simplified.

He stressed that northern Kosovo Serbs had for the first gotten written guarantees that they would be able to continue to exercise their rights.

Pavićević voiced belief that neither Kosovo's institutions nor EULEX would misinterpret the agreement.

Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) MPs said that the implementation of the agreement was disgraceful and that it represented "a classical establishment of borders." Pavićević denied the allegations.

War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukčević said that the acquittal of former commander of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) Ramush Haradinaj was a “fiasco” that came as a result of poor witness protection of the Hague Tribunal Prosecution.

Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) representatives assessed that Vukčević’s prosecution was partly responsible for the verdict.

“This fiasco is a consequence of poor witness protection,” the prosecutor said at the several-hour long session and added that Serbia had submitted 198 documents to the Tribunal but that the UN court had done a “very sloppy job”.

According to him, many witnesses refused to testify, changed their statements or accepted jail time due to inadequate witness protection, which led to the acquittal.

The war crimes prosecutor said he was surprised he was invited to the Committee’s session and added that Committee on Kosovo Chairman Milovan Drecun’s invitation was a “personal fight” and a result of his “personal animosity” toward him.

“This is my impression, maybe I’m being paranoid but I am under the impression that there is something personal here,” Vukčević pointed out.

Drecun rejected the accusations, noting that nothing could persuade him that the Serbian War Crimes Prosecution was not partially responsible for Haradinaj’s acquittal.

Drecun stressed that he wanted to get answers that would reach reconciliation in the region, satisfy justice and repay the victims “that we are killing again with silence”.

He added that he wanted to know who had tipped off media, causing the Prosecution to lose three witnesses.

“We expected a much more detailed report, with much hope, we did not put you on a shame pole and instead we wanted to see what we could do together, do something that would contribute to justice and reconciliation with teamwork, regardless of our professional differences,” Drecun explained.

The session lasted for four hours and the report on the work of the Serbian government’s Office for Kosovo was adopted despite strong criticism of both the report and Office for Kosovo Director Aleksandar Vulin who did not attend the session.