Ambassador: EULEX blocking humanitarian aid

Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Konuzin says that the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX, is blocking a convoy of humanitarian aid. The 27 trucks carrying the aid to Serbs in the north, send by Russia, is blocked at the Jarinje administrative checkpoint since Tuesday morning. Ambassador: EULEX blocking humanitarian aid The convoy of trucks sent by the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations and meant to be delivered to Serbs in Kosovo arrived at the gates at Jarinje this morning, the ambassador told reporters at the spot, adding that the convoy had been told it would be allowed to cross the administrative line between central Serbia and the Kosovo province. He said that the formalities concerning the procedures for trucks to enter the southern Serbian province had to be observed and were underway. Two trucks have already been allowed to enter and are already in the province, and a third truck was currently undergoing the same procedure, said Konuzin. “EULEX then issued an order to halt the formal procedure, blocking the convoy movement, he said. We received no information as to the reason for stopping the control procedure. Then we were given the condition to either continue to move on accompanied by EULEX or to go to the Merdare checkpoint,” he said. Konuzin said EULEX had then been said it was not required to escort the convoy and that the convoy would not go on to Merdare because the crossing was controlled by the authorities from Pristina that neither Russia nor the Serbian authorities considered legitimate. For now, the movement of the convoy remains blocked, Konuzin said, adding that he was in contact with the Serbian and Russian authorities, trying to find a solution. “The most important thing is for the Russian humanitarian aid to reach those for whom it is meant - Kosovo Serbs,” the Russian diplomat said. Speaking in Kragujevac, central Serbia on Tuesday afternoon, Serbian President Boris Tadic "thanked Russia for sending the humanitarian", and added that "no convoy carrying aid to Serbs in Kosovo should be stopped as they are today the most vulnerable ethnic group in Europe”. Ambassador Konuzin at Jarinje (Tanjug) Russian trucks through, EULEX turned back Earlier in the day, Serbs in northern Kosovo removed a barricade this morning to let through a convoy of 25 trucks carrying Russian humanitarian aid enter northern Kosovo. The barricade was located in front of the Jarnje administrative line checkpoint, in the area that's part of central Serbia. The vehicles then reached Jarinje, which is controlled by EULEX officials. Journalists also saw police officers of the Kosovo Albanian authorities from Pristina there, but they did not check the trucks and cars. Russian Ambassador in Belgrade Aleksandr Konuzin traveled in the convoy. At the barricade, he exited his car to shake hands with the Serbs guarding the roadblock and took pictures with them. But when a convoy of 11 vehicles belonging to the EU mission in the province, EULEX, headed for Jarinje from southern, ethnic Albanian part of Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbs turned them back twice from two locations. Initially, it was said that EULEX was sending vehicles to escort the Russian convoy, but when Konuzin said that such escort was not needed, Serbs stopped the EULEX vehicles in Zvecan. That convoy went back via the ethnic Albanian village of Cabra and via Jagnjenica, but soon after they made another attempt to reach Jarinje. The locals then stopped them in the village of Zerovnica near the town of Zvecan. Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor Krstimir Pantic told reporters that the Serbs blocked EULEX because the mission was "transporting Kosovo border police and customs" to Jarinje, as well as Albanian language media crews from Pristina, whose goal was to report that "the road toward Jarinje is passable, and that a Russian humanitarian envoy was the first to cross a customs post that Serbs are boycotting". Pantic described this as "yet another unnecessary provocation" on the part of EULEX: "This new provocation by EULEX was meant to cause the Serbs to react inappropriately and be blamed for that. It was unnecessary for EULEX to head toward the north when nobody asked them to do that." Ambassador Konuzin was expected to address the citizens at another barricade, in Leposavic, and then in Kosovska Mitrovica, where the aid shipment is to be handed over to the Red Cross. The shipment consists of food, tents, blankets, and other goods, and will be distributed to Serb families most in need of such assistance. It was announced tha the ceremony in northern Kosovska Mitrovica would be attended by officials of the Ministry for Kosovo, the Red Cross, and local self-administration. Russian trucks at Jarinje (Beta) "Russians demanded EULEX escort" Meanwhile, an EULEX spokesperson in Pristina told Tanjug that the mission "received a request that its members escort a convoy of Russian humanitarian aid". Irina Gudeljevic said that "Russians in the meantime withdrew the request, so that the new situation is currently being considered". She confirmed that several EULEX vehicles that were headed towards Jarinje were halted by the citizens in Zvecan. Gudeljevic confirmed that three trucks of the Russian convoy went through control procedure by 15:30 CET. The presence of the Kosovo police was noticeably reinforced along the main road from Kosovska Mitrovica to Jarinje, said Tanjug's reporters in the province.

Ambassador: EULEX blocking humanitarian aid

The convoy of trucks sent by the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations and meant to be delivered to Serbs in Kosovo arrived at the gates at Jarinje this morning, the ambassador told reporters at the spot, adding that the convoy had been told it would be allowed to cross the administrative line between central Serbia and the Kosovo province.

He said that the formalities concerning the procedures for trucks to enter the southern Serbian province had to be observed and were underway.

Two trucks have already been allowed to enter and are already in the province, and a third truck was currently undergoing the same procedure, said Konuzin.

“EULEX then issued an order to halt the formal procedure, blocking the convoy movement, he said. We received no information as to the reason for stopping the control procedure. Then we were given the condition to either continue to move on accompanied by EULEX or to go to the Merdare checkpoint,” he said.

Konuzin said EULEX had then been said it was not required to escort the convoy and that the convoy would not go on to Merdare because the crossing was controlled by the authorities from Priština that neither Russia nor the Serbian authorities considered legitimate.

For now, the movement of the convoy remains blocked, Konuzin said, adding that he was in contact with the Serbian and Russian authorities, trying to find a solution.

“The most important thing is for the Russian humanitarian aid to reach those for whom it is meant - Kosovo Serbs,” the Russian diplomat said.

Speaking in Kragujevac, central Serbia on Tuesday afternoon, Serbian President Boris Tadić "thanked Russia for sending the humanitarian", and added that "no convoy carrying aid to Serbs in Kosovo should be stopped as they are today the most vulnerable ethnic group in Europe”.

Russian trucks through, EULEX turned back

Earlier in the day, Serbs in northern Kosovo removed a barricade this morning to let through a convoy of 25 trucks carrying Russian humanitarian aid enter northern Kosovo.

The barricade was located in front of the Jarnje administrative line checkpoint, in the area that's part of central Serbia.

The vehicles then reached Jarinje, which is controlled by EULEX officials. Journalists also saw police officers of the Kosovo Albanian authorities from Priština there, but they did not check the trucks and cars.

Russian Ambassador in Belgrade Aleksandr Konuzin traveled in the convoy. At the barricade, he exited his car to shake hands with the Serbs guarding the roadblock and took pictures with them. But when a convoy of 11 vehicles belonging to the EU mission in the province, EULEX, headed for Jarinje from southern, ethnic Albanian part of Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbs turned them back twice from two locations.

Initially, it was said that EULEX was sending vehicles to escort the Russian convoy, but when Konuzin said that such escort was not needed, Serbs stopped the EULEX vehicles in Zvečan.

That convoy went back via the ethnic Albanian village of Čabra and via Jagnjenica, but soon after they made another attempt to reach Jarinje. The locals then stopped them in the village of Žerovnica near the town of Zvečan.

Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor Krstimir Pantić told reporters that the Serbs blocked EULEX because the mission was "transporting Kosovo border police and customs" to Jarinje, as well as Albanian language media crews from Priština, whose goal was to report that "the road toward Jarinje is passable, and that a Russian humanitarian envoy was the first to cross a customs post that Serbs are boycotting".

Pantić described this as "yet another unnecessary provocation" on the part of EULEX:

"This new provocation by EULEX was meant to cause the Serbs to react inappropriately and be blamed for that. It was unnecessary for EULEX to head toward the north when nobody asked them to do that."

Ambassador Konuzin was expected to address the citizens at another barricade, in Leposavić, and then in Kosovska Mitrovica, where the aid shipment is to be handed over to the Red Cross.

The shipment consists of food, tents, blankets, and other goods, and will be distributed to Serb families most in need of such assistance.

It was announced tha the ceremony in northern Kosovska Mitrovica would be attended by officials of the Ministry for Kosovo, the Red Cross, and local self-administration.

"Russians demanded EULEX escort"

Meanwhile, an EULEX spokesperson in Priština told Tanjug that the mission "received a request that its members escort a convoy of Russian humanitarian aid".

Irina Gudeljevic said that "Russians in the meantime withdrew the request, so that the new situation is currently being considered".

She confirmed that several EULEX vehicles that were headed towards Jarinje were halted by the citizens in Zvečan.

Gudeljevic confirmed that three trucks of the Russian convoy went through control procedure by 15:30 CET.

The presence of the Kosovo police was noticeably reinforced along the main road from Kosovska Mitrovica to Jarinje, said Tanjug's reporters in the province.