Official warns of possible "bloodshed" in north

State Secretary with the Ministry for Kosovo Oliver Ivanovic has addressed the issue of Serb protests in Brdjani, northern Kosovska Mitrovica. State Secretary with the Ministry for Kosovo Oliver Ivanovic has addressed the issue of Serb protests in Brdjani, northern Kosovska Mitrovica. Official warns of possible "bloodshed" in north "The whole procedure when it comes to Serb returnees has been violated in this case. Albanians gave decided to go back without respecting any rules, and they even got KFOR's support for that," Ivanovic told Belgrade daily Danas. He added that "this means that NATO has taken one side", which further means that this organization's "credibility has been undermined". According to him attempts of the ethnic Albanian government in Pristina and EU mission in the province, EULEX, to "this year establish full control over northern Kosovo would cause bloodshed". "I do not doubt that such ideas exist, but their realization would be a horrible scenario. Large scale unrest would break out," warned Ivanovic. Meantime in Pristina, ethnic Albanian politician and former communist Yugoslavia-era official Azem Vlasi told the daily that that the Serb protests ongoing for over a week are "not civilizational" because "Albanians are trying to renew the houses that the Serbs burned ten years ago". The Serbs in the Brdjani area of the divided northern Kosovo town are staging daily protests, saying that Albanians have, with the move, violated an earlier agreement, and demanding reciprocity for Serb returnees. "Serbs in northern Kosovo have been spurred by some people from Serbia. That does not contribute to the clear goal of the Kosovo institutions and international community, and that is establishing security, rule of law and peace in Kosovo," said Vlasi. He added that it is "hard to believe that they [Serbs] are organizing themselves in such a way alone, without anybody's orders, that its, instructions". EULEX's reaction is described by Vlasi as responsible and in line with the mission's proclaimed goals. "They have a clear position that everyone should go back to their homes, both Serbs and Albanians. Their reaction in the case of violent Serb protests in Brdjani demonstrates seriousness, that is, determination to implement that," said Vlasi. Asked whether "Kosovo's government and EULEX" are planning to this year "establish full control" over the Serb-dominated north, he said that this is fully under way. "EULEX and Kosovo's institutions will soon realize this goal, there is no doubt about it," Vlasi was quoted as saying.

Official warns of possible "bloodshed" in north

"The whole procedure when it comes to Serb returnees has been violated in this case. Albanians gave decided to go back without respecting any rules, and they even got KFOR's support for that," Ivanović told Belgrade daily Danas.

He added that "this means that NATO has taken one side", which further means that this organization's "credibility has been undermined".

According to him attempts of the ethnic Albanian government in Priština and EU mission in the province, EULEX, to "this year establish full control over northern Kosovo would cause bloodshed".

"I do not doubt that such ideas exist, but their realization would be a horrible scenario. Large scale unrest would break out," warned Ivanović.

Meantime in Priština, ethnic Albanian politician and former communist Yugoslavia-era official Azem Vlasi told the daily that that the Serb protests ongoing for over a week are "not civilizational" because "Albanians are trying to renew the houses that the Serbs burned ten years ago".

The Serbs in the Brđani area of the divided northern Kosovo town are staging daily protests, saying that Albanians have, with the move, violated an earlier agreement, and demanding reciprocity for Serb returnees.

"Serbs in northern Kosovo have been spurred by some people from Serbia. That does not contribute to the clear goal of the Kosovo institutions and international community, and that is establishing security, rule of law and peace in Kosovo," said Vlasi.

He added that it is "hard to believe that they [Serbs] are organizing themselves in such a way alone, without anybody's orders, that its, instructions".

EULEX's reaction is described by Vlasi as responsible and in line with the mission's proclaimed goals.

"They have a clear position that everyone should go back to their homes, both Serbs and Albanians. Their reaction in the case of violent Serb protests in Brđani demonstrates seriousness, that is, determination to implement that," said Vlasi.

Asked whether "Kosovo's government and EULEX" are planning to this year "establish full control" over the Serb-dominated north, he said that this is fully under way.

"EULEX and Kosovo's institutions will soon realize this goal, there is no doubt about it," Vlasi was quoted as saying.