Sirens in north, KM introduces state of emergency
A meeting between Serbian officials and the KFOR commander in the town of Zvečan in northern Kosovo was interrupted and then resumed today.
Wednesday, 27.07.2011.
09:44
A meeting between Serbian officials and the KFOR commander in the town of Zvecan in northern Kosovo was interrupted and then resumed today. Buehler said after the meeting that KPS unit Rosu withdrew from northern Kosovo, adding that "regular policemen of both Serbian and Albanian nationality are present at the administrative crossing". Sirens in north, KM introduces state of emergency "Nationality is of no consequence for me. We transported police officers to administrative crossings for protection. Those are police officers of both Serbian and Albanian nationality, from north as well as from other parts of Kosovo. If you ask me, there is only one police, according to Resolution 1244. There is no Albanian or Serbian police, but only one," he said. Buehler said that no one should feel threatened by KFOR, as KFOR's impartiality was "guaranteed". "I have to appeal to everyone not to obstruct the work of KFOR. I do not say this without reason, because a KFOR helicopter was fired at this morning," Buehler said, without giving details about the incident. Expressing regret over the death of a KPS unit member, he stressed the importance of preventing violence and maintaining peace and order. "I expect those who are politically responsible for the crime to help find the perpetrators. I would like to ask all citizens to remain calm and work with us to maintain peace," he said. Buehler also said he got several proposals from Borislav Stefanovic, but that his job, as the KFOR commander, was to keep peace and order. "Unfortunately, there are still roadblocks in some places, so the agreement reached yesterday has not been fully implemented. I admit everyone is trying to resolve the situation and keep it from escalating. I welcome that," he said. KFOR itself was previously accused of not honoring the agreement. Belgrade team leader in the Kosovo dialogue Borislav Stefanovic earlier on Wednesday described the situation as very difficult, and explained that "(ethic) Albanian customs officers and border police representatives" were brought to the two checkpoints in the north, which "went contrary" to the agreement reached yesterday. Stefanovic called on the NATO-led force "not to become an instrument of Pristina", and on Serbs, who are gathered blocking roads in order to prevent a takeover of the checkpoints, to remain in the streets, to be prepared, but not to resume setting up roadblocks. On Wednesday, they closed the Kosovska Mitrovica-Raska road near Leposavic by pouring sand and debris onto the road. A Tanjug reporter at the scene says that a helicopter carrying members of the Kosovo police, KPS, landed at a KFOR base near Jarinje, but that after Serbs started to gather and protest, they went back inside the helicopter which then took off. The Kosovo Albanian officials said that the ban on entry of Serbian goods was now being enforced in Brnjak and Jarinje. In the town of Zubin Potok, sirens sounded alert at 14:00 CET today, promoting citizens to gather in greater numbers at the barricades toward Brnjak. Zubin Potok Municipal President Slavisa Ristic told Tanjug that the reason for the gathering was the information that KFOR is not fully honoring the agreement reached with the Serbian officials, and that KFOR vehicles transported Kosovo customs and police officers to the Brnjak crossing. Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanovic and Borislav Stefanovic will visit Zubin Potok during the day. Meanwhile Serbs from Zubin Potok fully blocked at about 02:30 pm the main road from Kosovska Mitrovica to Ribarici, as well as the nearest local road to Brnjak. Earlier in the day, the Kosovska Mitrovica municipality introduced a state of emergency, ordering cafes and restaurants to be closing at 15:00 CET. Radio KIM reports that citizens in the northern, mostly Serb part of the divided town were asked to comprehend the gravity of the situation and behave responsibly. The municipality also asked all able bodied citizens to take part in the protection and rescue tasks, when called upon by the authorities. The current crisis in the north started late on Monday when the Kosovo Albanian authorities decided to take over the Jarinje and Brnjak administrative line checkpoints in the north by force, sending in a police unit. Serb members of the KPS and EULEX customs were previously employed at the checkpoints. Serbs north of the Ibar River form a majority, and refuse to accept the authority of the government in Pristina, or the ethnic Albanian unilateral declaration of independence made in early 2008. The attempt to take over the checkpoints came in order to enforce Pristina's ban entrance of goods produced in Serbia, citing Belgrade's refusal to accept the customs stamp with "state symbols of Kosovo". Serbia accepts the Kosovo/UNMIK stamps, which is the format under which the territory joined the regional free trade agreement, CEFTA. (Tanjug) Misunderstanding KFOR spokesman Hans-Dieter Wichter told Tanjug that, according to the KFOR information, the Tuesday incident, in which one member of the Kosovo Police Service (KPS) special unit Rosu was killed, happened due to misunderstanding. "Rosu started withdrawing towards southern part of Kosovska Mitrovica on Tuesday afternoon, and then returned to Brnjak. It must have been some kind of misunderstanding. Then, the shooting took place, and it must be condemned. It is tragic that one member of security forces was killed," Wichter said. He stressed that there are no Rosu forces at the Brnjak and Jarinje administrative crossings. There have been no Rosu forces today. KFOR helicopters transported regular police officers, who are working at these checkpoints, he added. Wichter also said that conflicts should be resolved peacefully, and thanked the Serbian government for its support, which helped prevent major conflicts. "We are trying to reach a reasonable solution. If all would act reasonably, we will succeed in that. Of course, we are faced with a rather tense situation," the KFOR spokesman said. Night peaceful in north, KPS unit withdraws The Kosovo police, KPS, Rosu unit has withdrawn from northern Kosovo, it was announced in Pristina. KPS spokesman Bahrim Sadriju was quoted as saying: "The special units have completed the task they were given. Their job was to allow customs workers to do their job," Sadriju told Radio Free Europe. But he failed to explain what that in fact meant. The spokesman did say that there were "customs officers and members of the border police" at the checkpoints. Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic earlier today denied that customs officers of the Pristina authorities were present at Jarinje and Brnjak. Prior to the flare-up, Jarinje and Brnjak were manned by Serb members of the KPS and EULEX customs. Bogdanovic and Kosovo talks team chief Borislav Stefanovic were at Jarinje this morning, waiting to meet once again with KFOR commander Erhard Buehler, but their meeting eventually took place in the town of Zvecan. It was also attended by representatives of local Serbs and SPC Bishop Teodosije. The night in northern, Serb-dominated parts of Kosovo went peacefully. Several dozen Serbs from the Leposavic municipality are at the administrative crossing, who decided to stay on the barricades the entire night, taught by the experience from Tuesday morning, when the KPS Rosu units withdrew and then again tried to take over the Brnjak administrative crossing. After more than 20 hours and the firm reaction of Belgrade and the international community, the agreement on the withdrawal of the Kosovo special units to Pristina was confirmed, says Tanjug. Stefanovic told the journalists on Tuesday that it had been agreed with Buehler that all roads in northern Kosovo should be unblocked and made free for traffic, and that members of the Kosovo police of Serb nationality should be deployed at the administrative checkpoints by Wednesday morning at the latest. The Kosovo police unit took over the Brnjak administrative checkpoint late on Monday, withdrew on Tuesday morning, and a few hours later made another attempt to take over the crossing. In the night between Monday and Tuesday, Serbs from Leposavic prevented the attempts of Kosovo special units to take over Jarinje administrative crossing, by setting up blockades throughout the town.
Sirens in north, KM introduces state of emergency
"Nationality is of no consequence for me. We transported police officers to administrative crossings for protection. Those are police officers of both Serbian and Albanian nationality, from north as well as from other parts of Kosovo. If you ask me, there is only one police, according to Resolution 1244. There is no Albanian or Serbian police, but only one," he said.Buehler said that no one should feel threatened by KFOR, as KFOR's impartiality was "guaranteed".
"I have to appeal to everyone not to obstruct the work of KFOR. I do not say this without reason, because a KFOR helicopter was fired at this morning," Buehler said, without giving details about the incident.
Expressing regret over the death of a KPS unit member, he stressed the importance of preventing violence and maintaining peace and order.
"I expect those who are politically responsible for the crime to help find the perpetrators. I would like to ask all citizens to remain calm and work with us to maintain peace," he said.
Buehler also said he got several proposals from Borislav Stefanović, but that his job, as the KFOR commander, was to keep peace and order.
"Unfortunately, there are still roadblocks in some places, so the agreement reached yesterday has not been fully implemented. I admit everyone is trying to resolve the situation and keep it from escalating. I welcome that," he said.
KFOR itself was previously accused of not honoring the agreement.
Belgrade team leader in the Kosovo dialogue Borislav Stefanović earlier on Wednesday described the situation as very difficult, and explained that "(ethic) Albanian customs officers and border police representatives" were brought to the two checkpoints in the north, which "went contrary" to the agreement reached yesterday.
Stefanović called on the NATO-led force "not to become an instrument of Priština", and on Serbs, who are gathered blocking roads in order to prevent a takeover of the checkpoints, to remain in the streets, to be prepared, but not to resume setting up roadblocks.
On Wednesday, they closed the Kosovska Mitrovica-Raška road near Leposavić by pouring sand and debris onto the road.
A Tanjug reporter at the scene says that a helicopter carrying members of the Kosovo police, KPS, landed at a KFOR base near Jarinje, but that after Serbs started to gather and protest, they went back inside the helicopter which then took off.
The Kosovo Albanian officials said that the ban on entry of Serbian goods was now being enforced in Brnjak and Jarinje.
In the town of Zubin Potok, sirens sounded alert at 14:00 CET today, promoting citizens to gather in greater numbers at the barricades toward Brnjak.
Zubin Potok Municipal President Slaviša Ristić told Tanjug that the reason for the gathering was the information that KFOR is not fully honoring the agreement reached with the Serbian officials, and that KFOR vehicles transported Kosovo customs and police officers to the Brnjak crossing.
Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanović and Borislav Stefanović will visit Zubin Potok during the day.
Meanwhile Serbs from Zubin Potok fully blocked at about 02:30 pm the main road from Kosovska Mitrovica to Ribarići, as well as the nearest local road to Brnjak.
Earlier in the day, the Kosovska Mitrovica municipality introduced a state of emergency, ordering cafes and restaurants to be closing at 15:00 CET.
Radio KIM reports that citizens in the northern, mostly Serb part of the divided town were asked to comprehend the gravity of the situation and behave responsibly.
The municipality also asked all able bodied citizens to take part in the protection and rescue tasks, when called upon by the authorities.
The current crisis in the north started late on Monday when the Kosovo Albanian authorities decided to take over the Jarinje and Brnjak administrative line checkpoints in the north by force, sending in a police unit. Serb members of the KPS and EULEX customs were previously employed at the checkpoints.
Serbs north of the Ibar River form a majority, and refuse to accept the authority of the government in Priština, or the ethnic Albanian unilateral declaration of independence made in early 2008.
The attempt to take over the checkpoints came in order to enforce Priština's ban entrance of goods produced in Serbia, citing Belgrade's refusal to accept the customs stamp with "state symbols of Kosovo".
Serbia accepts the Kosovo/UNMIK stamps, which is the format under which the territory joined the regional free trade agreement, CEFTA.
Misunderstanding
KFOR spokesman Hans-Dieter Wichter told Tanjug that, according to the KFOR information, the Tuesday incident, in which one member of the Kosovo Police Service (KPS) special unit Rosu was killed, happened due to misunderstanding."Rosu started withdrawing towards southern part of Kosovska Mitrovica on Tuesday afternoon, and then returned to Brnjak. It must have been some kind of misunderstanding. Then, the shooting took place, and it must be condemned. It is tragic that one member of security forces was killed," Wichter said.
He stressed that there are no Rosu forces at the Brnjak and Jarinje administrative crossings.
There have been no Rosu forces today. KFOR helicopters transported regular police officers, who are working at these checkpoints, he added.
Wichter also said that conflicts should be resolved peacefully, and thanked the Serbian government for its support, which helped prevent major conflicts.
"We are trying to reach a reasonable solution. If all would act reasonably, we will succeed in that. Of course, we are faced with a rather tense situation," the KFOR spokesman said.
Night peaceful in north, KPS unit withdraws
The Kosovo police, KPS, Rosu unit has withdrawn from northern Kosovo, it was announced in Priština.KPS spokesman Bahrim Sadriju was quoted as saying: "The special units have completed the task they were given. Their job was to allow customs workers to do their job," Sadriju told Radio Free Europe.
But he failed to explain what that in fact meant.
The spokesman did say that there were "customs officers and members of the border police" at the checkpoints.
Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanović earlier today denied that customs officers of the Priština authorities were present at Jarinje and Brnjak.
Prior to the flare-up, Jarinje and Brnjak were manned by Serb members of the KPS and EULEX customs.
Bogdanović and Kosovo talks team chief Borislav Stefanović were at Jarinje this morning, waiting to meet once again with KFOR commander Erhard Buehler, but their meeting eventually took place in the town of Zvečan.
It was also attended by representatives of local Serbs and SPC Bishop Teodosije.
The night in northern, Serb-dominated parts of Kosovo went peacefully.
Several dozen Serbs from the Leposavić municipality are at the administrative crossing, who decided to stay on the barricades the entire night, taught by the experience from Tuesday morning, when the KPS Rosu units withdrew and then again tried to take over the Brnjak administrative crossing.
After more than 20 hours and the firm reaction of Belgrade and the international community, the agreement on the withdrawal of the Kosovo special units to Priština was confirmed, says Tanjug.
Stefanović told the journalists on Tuesday that it had been agreed with Buehler that all roads in northern Kosovo should be unblocked and made free for traffic, and that members of the Kosovo police of Serb nationality should be deployed at the administrative checkpoints by Wednesday morning at the latest.
The Kosovo police unit took over the Brnjak administrative checkpoint late on Monday, withdrew on Tuesday morning, and a few hours later made another attempt to take over the crossing.
In the night between Monday and Tuesday, Serbs from Leposavić prevented the attempts of Kosovo special units to take over Jarinje administrative crossing, by setting up blockades throughout the town.
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