Deputy PM wary over Kosovo bonus decision

Deputy PM Ivica Dacic who is today visiting Kosovo said that a decision to stop paying special bonuses to employees in Kosovo was "debatable". The government must look into its consequences, Dacic, who is also Serbia's interior minister and leader of the ruling Socialists (SPS), said on Sunday while he was visiting the Orthodox monastery of Gracanica in Kosovo, as it was marking a religious holiday. Deputy PM wary over Kosovo bonus decision The Constitutional Court of Serbia ruled that the 2003 government decision to allow extra bonuses to those receiving salaries from the state budget, and working in Kosovo, was unconstitutional. The government must find a new model to help Serbs in Kosovo, as well as all other people in the province who "respect the state of Serbia", Dacic was quoted as saying. "If Serbia gave up on Kosovo and did not pay due attention to Serbs, and if Serbs do not stay in Kosovo, other countries will certainly not be too interested in this issue," he said. Dacic was also quoted as saying that he decided he would "dare comment" on the Constitutional Court's decision considering that he was in Kosovo. "I think that the government of Serbia must very seriously consider the consequences that come after the Constitutional Court's decision, and analyze them well," the minister warned. Dacic said that while his party was not in power when the decision was made in 2003, similar bonuses were paid in previous decades as well, and added that the extra money was set aside because of the difficult conditions under which people live and work in Kosovo. "If the Constitutional Court could easily annul the decision of the so-called Kosovo organs about Kosovo's independence, which represented a flagrant violation of the Serbian Constitution, then I could say the (bonuses) decision was understandable," Dacic told reporters in Gracanica. "This way, however, bearing in mind that the Constitutional Court's decisions do not influence the factual situation on the ground in Kosovo and Metohija, since Serbia does not have authority over a part of her territory, this decision is debatable," he said, and added that it could "cause various connotations". One of those "connotations", the minister believes, must not be that Serbia is declaring it is no longer interested in this issue. "It is in our interest for Serbs and all those who respect Serbia to stay in Kosovo, even under such difficult conditions when their lives are endangered... The government of Serbia must look well into the consequences, and find new mechanisms to entice people to live and work here," he stated. Dacic also told reporters that the court's decision carried not only political weights, "but also economic, so that people can provide a future for their children". Dacic speaks to reporters in Gracanica (Tanjug) "Serbia ready to send personnel" Ivica Dacic said on Sunday in Kosovo that Serbia is ready to send personnel to help guard Serb medieval monasteries and historic monuments in Kosovo and Metohija. During his one-day visit to Gracanica, Dacic commented the decision of international forces in Kosovo KFOR to hand over security of medieval monasteries to the local police in Serbia's southern province. Noting that, according to the Resolution 1244 adopted by the UN Security Council in June 1999, Serbia has the right to send its personnel to Kosovo, Dacic said this right has nearly been forgotten since. Resolution 1244 states that Serbia can send up to 1,000 people to the outstanding religious and historic sites in Kosovo, and Serbia is ready to do so, he said. This provision has nearly been forgotten, but Serbia is ready to help, Dacic said Nobody wants peace in Kosovo more than Serbia and Kosovo Serbs, he said. "Serbia must also do everything to encourage Serbs to remain in Kosovo. However, Serbia cannot allow anyone to expel Serbs from the province through the use of force, he said. Bishop Teodosije, who received Dacic in Gracanica, reiterated that the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) does not agree with KFOR's decision to hand over security of Serb Orthodox monasteries to the Kosovo police. The SPC is in contact with international representatives and has expressed concern over the KFOR decision, Bishop Teodosije said. "The Church kept telling them that this move is premature and that Serbs would feel unsafe if KFOR withdraws. Some alternate solutions should also be considered," he said. KFOR command has decided to hand over security of Gracanica and four other Serb monasteries to the Kosovo police, KPS.

Deputy PM wary over Kosovo bonus decision

The Constitutional Court of Serbia ruled that the 2003 government decision to allow extra bonuses to those receiving salaries from the state budget, and working in Kosovo, was unconstitutional.

The government must find a new model to help Serbs in Kosovo, as well as all other people in the province who "respect the state of Serbia", Dačić was quoted as saying.

"If Serbia gave up on Kosovo and did not pay due attention to Serbs, and if Serbs do not stay in Kosovo, other countries will certainly not be too interested in this issue," he said.

Dačić was also quoted as saying that he decided he would "dare comment" on the Constitutional Court's decision considering that he was in Kosovo.

"I think that the government of Serbia must very seriously consider the consequences that come after the Constitutional Court's decision, and analyze them well," the minister warned.

Dačić said that while his party was not in power when the decision was made in 2003, similar bonuses were paid in previous decades as well, and added that the extra money was set aside because of the difficult conditions under which people live and work in Kosovo.

"If the Constitutional Court could easily annul the decision of the so-called Kosovo organs about Kosovo's independence, which represented a flagrant violation of the Serbian Constitution, then I could say the (bonuses) decision was understandable," Dačić told reporters in Gračanica.

"This way, however, bearing in mind that the Constitutional Court's decisions do not influence the factual situation on the ground in Kosovo and Metohija, since Serbia does not have authority over a part of her territory, this decision is debatable," he said, and added that it could "cause various connotations".

One of those "connotations", the minister believes, must not be that Serbia is declaring it is no longer interested in this issue.

"It is in our interest for Serbs and all those who respect Serbia to stay in Kosovo, even under such difficult conditions when their lives are endangered... The government of Serbia must look well into the consequences, and find new mechanisms to entice people to live and work here," he stated.

Dačić also told reporters that the court's decision carried not only political weights, "but also economic, so that people can provide a future for their children".

"Serbia ready to send personnel"

Ivica Dačić said on Sunday in Kosovo that Serbia is ready to send personnel to help guard Serb medieval monasteries and historic monuments in Kosovo and Metohija.

During his one-day visit to Gračanica, Dačić commented the decision of international forces in Kosovo KFOR to hand over security of medieval monasteries to the local police in Serbia's southern province.

Noting that, according to the Resolution 1244 adopted by the UN Security Council in June 1999, Serbia has the right to send its personnel to Kosovo, Dačić said this right has nearly been forgotten since.

Resolution 1244 states that Serbia can send up to 1,000 people to the outstanding religious and historic sites in Kosovo, and Serbia is ready to do so, he said.

This provision has nearly been forgotten, but Serbia is ready to help, Dačić said

Nobody wants peace in Kosovo more than Serbia and Kosovo Serbs, he said.

"Serbia must also do everything to encourage Serbs to remain in Kosovo. However, Serbia cannot allow anyone to expel Serbs from the province through the use of force, he said.

Bishop Teodosije, who received Dačić in Gračanica, reiterated that the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) does not agree with KFOR's decision to hand over security of Serb Orthodox monasteries to the Kosovo police.

The SPC is in contact with international representatives and has expressed concern over the KFOR decision, Bishop Teodosije said.

"The Church kept telling them that this move is premature and that Serbs would feel unsafe if KFOR withdraws. Some alternate solutions should also be considered," he said.

KFOR command has decided to hand over security of Gracanica and four other Serb monasteries to the Kosovo police, KPS.