Kosovo police “determined to prevent Serbian poll”

Kosovo's Interior Minister Bajram Rexhepi said on Wednesday the police were still determined to prevent Serbia from holding local elections in Kosovo. “The police will work with EULEX and KFOR and do everything to prevent the poll,” he told Radio Kontakt Plus. Kosovo police “determined to prevent Serbian poll” Rexhepi does not expect heavy rioting once the police intervenes. “The police will focus on confiscating election material and prevention, and those actions are regulated by law,” he stated, adding that the authorities wished no tension, but also that those organizing the elections should be sensible. He did not specify when the operation would occur, explaining that it was part of the plan and that he could not discuss it. Serbia's Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic told Tanjug earlier that a potential intervention by special units of the Kosovo police in the north of the territory could bring new conflicts, bloodshed and another Serb exodus. "I think the international community, and I wish to believe the Kosovo Albanians also, would not want the violence similar to that of March 2004 happen again," Bogdanovic noted. “Belgrade is willing to settle all issues in the north of Kosovo through dialogue,” the Serbian minister pointed out. Kosovo's Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci said last week Kosovo police special forces might intervene in northern Kosovo, similar to what they did on July 25, 2011, when they attempted to take over the Jarinje and Brnjak administrative checkpoints in that part of Kosovo. Bajram Rexhepi (FoNet, file) Tanjug

Kosovo police “determined to prevent Serbian poll”

Rexhepi does not expect heavy rioting once the police intervenes.

“The police will focus on confiscating election material and prevention, and those actions are regulated by law,” he stated, adding that the authorities wished no tension, but also that those organizing the elections should be sensible.

He did not specify when the operation would occur, explaining that it was part of the plan and that he could not discuss it.

Serbia's Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanović told Tanjug earlier that a potential intervention by special units of the Kosovo police in the north of the territory could bring new conflicts, bloodshed and another Serb exodus.

"I think the international community, and I wish to believe the Kosovo Albanians also, would not want the violence similar to that of March 2004 happen again," Bogdanović noted.

“Belgrade is willing to settle all issues in the north of Kosovo through dialogue,” the Serbian minister pointed out.

Kosovo's Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci said last week Kosovo police special forces might intervene in northern Kosovo, similar to what they did on July 25, 2011, when they attempted to take over the Jarinje and Brnjak administrative checkpoints in that part of Kosovo.