Serbs still in court, situation calm

Serb judicial workers, who entered the Kosovska Mitrovica court Friday, are still inside the building. Yesterday was a day of high tension, as UNMIK police threatened local Serb leaders that unless the building was vacated, they would storm it and use force to remove the protesters. Serbs still in court, situation calm But the Serbs, driven out of their offices in August 1999, have remained inside for the second night, and the situation in and around the courthouse in the divided northern Kosovo town is calm this morning. The judicial employees, including judges, were taking turns guarding the corridors of the building throughout the night. They are requesting talks with UNMIK judiciary in order to resolve the dispute. District Prosecutor Milan Bigovic said this morning that the employees are determined not to leave the building. Bigovic, and another member of the negotiating team, Judge Nebojsa Jovic, say there are fears as to what the next step taken by the international forces in Kosovo may be. "We held a joint meeting of all employees who are currently in the building, after some responsible persons from the UNMIK administration demanded that we urgently and without delay leave these premises, and that the talks can only continue under that condition." "The employees have voiced their unanimous position that this is not the way they will be talked to – that they will stay inside until further notice, and that they are waiting for someone to address them in person," Bigovic told reporters. "The employees told me they will insist on our demands. The UNMIK flag problem is resurfacing again, and we repeat, it is not a problem for us," he said. The employees Friday placed the Serbian flag on the building. "I repeat once again, for the benefit of all those who either can't or won't hear, that we have nothing against the UNMIK court, or Resolution 1244, or UNMIK police. All we want is for the court to be provided with normal working conditions. We want to say, that we do not recognize an Albanian state, and that this is in fact a struggle for survival," Jovic added. UNMIK police remain deployed around the building, but reports say there are presently no indications that they are preparing to intervene. Yesterday, local Serb leaders warned that any violence against the protesters would "cause chaos" in the town, divided into northern, Serb, and southern, Albanian part.

Serbs still in court, situation calm

But the Serbs, driven out of their offices in August 1999, have remained inside for the second night, and the situation in and around the courthouse in the divided northern Kosovo town is calm this morning.

The judicial employees, including judges, were taking turns guarding the corridors of the building throughout the night. They are requesting talks with UNMIK judiciary in order to resolve the dispute.

District Prosecutor Milan Bigović said this morning that the employees are determined not to leave the building.

Bigović, and another member of the negotiating team, Judge Nebojša Jović, say there are fears as to what the next step taken by the international forces in Kosovo may be.

"We held a joint meeting of all employees who are currently in the building, after some responsible persons from the UNMIK administration demanded that we urgently and without delay leave these premises, and that the talks can only continue under that condition."

"The employees have voiced their unanimous position that this is not the way they will be talked to – that they will stay inside until further notice, and that they are waiting for someone to address them in person," Bigović told reporters.

"The employees told me they will insist on our demands. The UNMIK flag problem is resurfacing again, and we repeat, it is not a problem for us," he said. The employees Friday placed the Serbian flag on the building.

"I repeat once again, for the benefit of all those who either can't or won't hear, that we have nothing against the UNMIK court, or Resolution 1244, or UNMIK police. All we want is for the court to be provided with normal working conditions. We want to say, that we do not recognize an Albanian state, and that this is in fact a struggle for survival," Jović added.

UNMIK police remain deployed around the building, but reports say there are presently no indications that they are preparing to intervene.

Yesterday, local Serb leaders warned that any violence against the protesters would "cause chaos" in the town, divided into northern, Serb, and southern, Albanian part.