Dissolved local assemblies stage protest

Representatives of seven dissolved municipalities in Kosovo began a protest at noon in front of the Serbian government headquarters in Belgrade. Several dozen protesters expressed their disagreement with the decision. Dissolved local assemblies stage protest Councilors from the Klina and Decani municipal assemblies held a short public session at the beginning of the rally. It has been announced that a delegation will be received by Serbian Government Secretary General Tamara Stojcevic. The government dissolved the municipal assemblies of Podujevo, Djakovica, Suva Reka, Decani, Prizren, Urosevac and Klina last Thursday. Former Municipal President of Klina Sveto Dabizljevic said that local administrations were canceled contrary to the Constitution of Serbia and the Local Elections Law. “This is about self-will of the minister (for Kosovo) Goran Bogdanovic who is shutting down what’s left of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and violating the will of the citizens expressed at the elections in 2008,” he pointed out. Dabizljevic accused the minister of "doing all he could in the past two years to put down the work of local self-governments where his Democratic Party (DS) was not in power and suppress them". He also said that Bogdanovic was “getting his orders from Brussels” and that the move to dissolve Serb municipalities in the province “probably came on the orders of EULEX to start shutting down Serbian institutions in Kosovo”. According to him, the protesters do not expect much from the government which adopted the decision, but they will demand an explanation as to what law the government used as a base for its decision. Those protesting today also said they would file an appeal with the Constitutional Court of Serbia. The government announced after its decision last week that coordinators would be appointed for the seven municipalities.

Dissolved local assemblies stage protest

Councilors from the Klina and Dečani municipal assemblies held a short public session at the beginning of the rally.

It has been announced that a delegation will be received by Serbian Government Secretary General Tamara Stojčević.

The government dissolved the municipal assemblies of Podujevo, Đakovica, Suva Reka, Dečani, Prizren, Uroševac and Klina last Thursday.

Former Municipal President of Klina Sveto Dabižljević said that local administrations were canceled contrary to the Constitution of Serbia and the Local Elections Law.

“This is about self-will of the minister (for Kosovo) Goran Bogdanović who is shutting down what’s left of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and violating the will of the citizens expressed at the elections in 2008,” he pointed out.

Dabižljević accused the minister of "doing all he could in the past two years to put down the work of local self-governments where his Democratic Party (DS) was not in power and suppress them".

He also said that Bogdanović was “getting his orders from Brussels” and that the move to dissolve Serb municipalities in the province “probably came on the orders of EULEX to start shutting down Serbian institutions in Kosovo”.

According to him, the protesters do not expect much from the government which adopted the decision, but they will demand an explanation as to what law the government used as a base for its decision.

Those protesting today also said they would file an appeal with the Constitutional Court of Serbia.

The government announced after its decision last week that coordinators would be appointed for the seven municipalities.