Conflict brewing between Zannier, Priština?

Kosovo media have been speculating recently as to an alleged dispute between the UNMIK chief and Pristina officials. According to reports, Lamberto Zannier has also come into conflict with EU officials in Kosovo. Conflict brewing between Zannier, Pristina? The most recent wrangle has supposedly broken out with Paul Acda, the EULEX mission’s head of customs, following Zannier’s proposal to create a Serb customs service in the north of the province. Daily Ekspres, close to Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, writes that Acda even threatened to leave Kosovo if he continued to insist on the plan. In the latest criticism of the UNMIK chief, the daily states that he has “brought even more problems to Kosovo in his suitcase.” However, UNMIK spokesman Alexander Ivanko denies that there is any dispute. “That’s complete nonsense. There’s no dispute between UNMIK Chief Zannier and Mr. Acda on any issue. I don’t know where the media gets that kind of information, they’re way off the mark. Mr. Zannier has very constructive relations with the Kosovo government, he regularly submits reports, as he did recently, when he had a meeting with [Serbian Kosovo] Minister Goran Bogdanovic. So, we have extremely good relations with the authorities here,” said Ivanko. Another Pristina daily, Kosovo Sot, also highlights the Kosovo authorities’ increasing dissatisfaction with Zannier, who risks becoming, as earlier reported, a persona non grata in Kosovo, unless he stops making statements which, in the government’s opinion, do not correspond to reality. Besides his proposal for the creation of a Serb customs service, other ideas that have incurred the wrath of Pristina are the UNMIK chief’s plans to bring Serb police officers under UNMIK control, and to establish a dialogue with the Serbian Kosovo minister. For the time being, EULEX officials deny the existence of any dispute with Zannier. Belgrade rejects the customs proposal, because the government opposes the establishment of any kind of customs service on the administrative line. In the first few days after Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence, two customs posts were set alight on the administrative line between Serbia proper and Kosovo. Lamberto Zannier (Beta, archive)

Conflict brewing between Zannier, Priština?

The most recent wrangle has supposedly broken out with Paul Acda, the EULEX mission’s head of customs, following Zannier’s proposal to create a Serb customs service in the north of the province.

Daily Ekspres, close to Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, writes that Acda even threatened to leave Kosovo if he continued to insist on the plan.

In the latest criticism of the UNMIK chief, the daily states that he has “brought even more problems to Kosovo in his suitcase.”

However, UNMIK spokesman Alexander Ivanko denies that there is any dispute.

“That’s complete nonsense. There’s no dispute between UNMIK Chief Zannier and Mr. Acda on any issue. I don’t know where the media gets that kind of information, they’re way off the mark. Mr. Zannier has very constructive relations with the Kosovo government, he regularly submits reports, as he did recently, when he had a meeting with [Serbian Kosovo] Minister Goran Bogdanović. So, we have extremely good relations with the authorities here,” said Ivanko.

Another Priština daily, Kosovo Sot, also highlights the Kosovo authorities’ increasing dissatisfaction with Zannier, who risks becoming, as earlier reported, a persona non grata in Kosovo, unless he stops making statements which, in the government’s opinion, do not correspond to reality.

Besides his proposal for the creation of a Serb customs service, other ideas that have incurred the wrath of Priština are the UNMIK chief’s plans to bring Serb police officers under UNMIK control, and to establish a dialogue with the Serbian Kosovo minister.

For the time being, EULEX officials deny the existence of any dispute with Zannier.

Belgrade rejects the customs proposal, because the government opposes the establishment of any kind of customs service on the administrative line.

In the first few days after Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence, two customs posts were set alight on the administrative line between Serbia proper and Kosovo.