Ministry supports Kosovo Serb protests

Ministry for Kosovo State Secretary Oliver Ivanovic said that the ministry supports the announced protests of Serbs. Serbs who were left without telephone services south of the Ibar River in the province have announced more protests in the enclave of Gracanica and other locations. Ministry supports Kosovo Serb protests Telekom Srbija has stated that it is ready to restore all telephone traffic in Kosovo in a matter of days. At the same time, the Kosovo Albanian government - which over the weekend demolished Telekom and Telenor property in order to disrupt services - and international community officials, repeated that it is “important for only legal telephone operators to exist in Kosovo”. Ivanovic told B92 TV in Belgrade this morning that the ministry supports the peaceful protests of Kosovo Serbs who oppose the disabling of Serbian phone networks. Every violent act is dangerous, Ivanovic said, and the Kosovo government is endangering the security of Kosovo Serbs with this action. Ivanovic said that the protests are important because they even have the support of the local officials that participated in the Kosovo elections organized by Pristina last year. Tuesday is the fifth day that Serbs are unable to use the services of Telekom and Telenor. While Serbs are saying that the acts are a violation of human rights, Pristina is answering that no Serbian operators would be allowed to work in Kosovo. The attention of Serbs living south of the Ibar is focused on Belgrade, and the effectiveness of the international action, announced by top state officials, in order for the services to be restored. The international community is expected to react and force the Kosovo Albanian government to change its decision on prohibiting Serbian mobile operators. Serbs are protesting, citing that their human rights are being violated and that the protests have nothing to do with political tensions between Belgrade and Pristina. They say that Pristina destroyed the networks without any warning and left whole communities without any way to communicate. In Pristina, it was stated that the action has been successfully completed, and that in between 26 and 28 “illegal transmitters” have been disabled. The international missions in Pristina support the actions of the Kosovo Albanian government, but also understand why the Kosovo Serbs are upset, said our reporter. Analysts in Pristina believe that the Kosovo government is clearing the territory in anticipation of one of the two Kosovo mobile networks being sold this year, to make the sale more attractive to potential investors. Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, meanwhile, said that Belgrade would “literally do everything” except use violent measures to help Serbs living in Kosovo enclaves. Serbs protest in Gracanica on Monday (Beta)

Ministry supports Kosovo Serb protests

Telekom Srbija has stated that it is ready to restore all telephone traffic in Kosovo in a matter of days.

At the same time, the Kosovo Albanian government - which over the weekend demolished Telekom and Telenor property in order to disrupt services - and international community officials, repeated that it is “important for only legal telephone operators to exist in Kosovo”.

Ivanović told B92 TV in Belgrade this morning that the ministry supports the peaceful protests of Kosovo Serbs who oppose the disabling of Serbian phone networks.

Every violent act is dangerous, Ivanović said, and the Kosovo government is endangering the security of Kosovo Serbs with this action.

Ivanović said that the protests are important because they even have the support of the local officials that participated in the Kosovo elections organized by Priština last year.

Tuesday is the fifth day that Serbs are unable to use the services of Telekom and Telenor. While Serbs are saying that the acts are a violation of human rights, Priština is answering that no Serbian operators would be allowed to work in Kosovo.

The attention of Serbs living south of the Ibar is focused on Belgrade, and the effectiveness of the international action, announced by top state officials, in order for the services to be restored.

The international community is expected to react and force the Kosovo Albanian government to change its decision on prohibiting Serbian mobile operators.

Serbs are protesting, citing that their human rights are being violated and that the protests have nothing to do with political tensions between Belgrade and Priština.

They say that Priština destroyed the networks without any warning and left whole communities without any way to communicate.

In Priština, it was stated that the action has been successfully completed, and that in between 26 and 28 “illegal transmitters” have been disabled.

The international missions in Priština support the actions of the Kosovo Albanian government, but also understand why the Kosovo Serbs are upset, said our reporter.

Analysts in Priština believe that the Kosovo government is clearing the territory in anticipation of one of the two Kosovo mobile networks being sold this year, to make the sale more attractive to potential investors.

Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković, meanwhile, said that Belgrade would “literally do everything” except use violent measures to help Serbs living in Kosovo enclaves.