"Govt. platform doesn't mention division of Kosovo"

Kosovo Minister Goran Bodganovic says the government has a platform for Kosovo talks which contained no mention of a division of the southern Serbian province. Speaking on Monday, he added that he believed a solution for the issue should be a result of compromise in line with the Serbian constitution, law and parliamentary resolutions. "Govt. platform doesn't mention division of Kosovo" Commenting on an idea about a partition of Kosovo presented by Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, Bodganovic told Tanjug that the idea was not any new, adding that it had its advantages, disadvantages and consequences. “A division, as an option, arises from the premise that Belgrade believes the whole of Kosovo is part of Serbia, which no Albanian politician will accept. From such a reality, perhaps, it turns out that only a division is a compromise, and every option resulting from a mutual compromise is acceptable,” Minister Bodganovic pointed out. According to him, statements regarding the division of Kosovo and Metohija are, above all, the political views of some leaders of political parties or individuals who feel that it might be the best solution. Bodganovic, however, said that his personal opinion was that a compromise solution should be sought. “We need to discuss every possible topic, no taboos, openly, in open discussions and debates, but with the respect of the Constitution, laws and parliamentary resolutions,” Bodganovic concluded. Bodganovic also commented on the decision of the Kosovo Albanian authorities to introduce "rotation of commanding officers" of the Kosovo police, KPS, in the Serb-dominated north of the province, and said that without the consent of the local community, this was "unacceptable". “At the end of the last week, I talked with EULEX officials, and I made it clear that any change of commanders of the police stations in Kosovo-Metohija without the consent of the local community is unacceptable for Serbia,” Bodganovic told B92. He said that the Serbian government will support the commanders to stay at their posts. “The attempt to transfer a number of commanders to the southern part of Kosovska Mitrovica, and make the remaining officers change their police stations is not acceptable for Serbia. Serbia stands ready to negotiate the issue, but will not accept unilateral decisions which Pristina is now trying to carry out,” Bodganovic said. Head of the Kosovska Mitrovica District Radenko Nedeljkovic stated earlier on Monday that representatives of the local community do not want to back decisions of the Pristina institutions if they had not been previously coordinated with the municipal authorities in the north of Kosovo. In a statement given to Tanjug on the announced rotation of the commanding officers at the police stations in the north of Kosovo, Nedeljkovic said that representatives of the local self-government will back decisions of the commanders from this part of the province. The Kosovo Police Service (KPS) announced the rotation of the commanding officers of the police stations in the north of Kosovo aimed at achieving better results, to be followed by rotations in other parts of Kosovo. It is envisaged that the commanding officers at the police stations in Kosovska Mitrovica, Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposavic be rotated. Kosovo Interior Minister Bajram Redzepi voiced his expectation that after the rotation, the level of corruption and illegal activities will be reduced. The KPS also announced the rotation of commanding officers at the administrative line checkpoints near Jarinje and Brnjak in the north of Kosovo. Goran Bogdanovic (Tanjug, file)

"Govt. platform doesn't mention division of Kosovo"

Commenting on an idea about a partition of Kosovo presented by Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dačić, Bodganović told Tanjug that the idea was not any new, adding that it had its advantages, disadvantages and consequences.

“A division, as an option, arises from the premise that Belgrade believes the whole of Kosovo is part of Serbia, which no Albanian politician will accept. From such a reality, perhaps, it turns out that only a division is a compromise, and every option resulting from a mutual compromise is acceptable,” Minister Bodganović pointed out.

According to him, statements regarding the division of Kosovo and Metohija are, above all, the political views of some leaders of political parties or individuals who feel that it might be the best solution.

Bodganović, however, said that his personal opinion was that a compromise solution should be sought.

“We need to discuss every possible topic, no taboos, openly, in open discussions and debates, but with the respect of the Constitution, laws and parliamentary resolutions,” Bodganović concluded.

Bodganović also commented on the decision of the Kosovo Albanian authorities to introduce "rotation of commanding officers" of the Kosovo police, KPS, in the Serb-dominated north of the province, and said that without the consent of the local community, this was "unacceptable".

“At the end of the last week, I talked with EULEX officials, and I made it clear that any change of commanders of the police stations in Kosovo-Metohija without the consent of the local community is unacceptable for Serbia,” Bodganović told B92.

He said that the Serbian government will support the commanders to stay at their posts.

“The attempt to transfer a number of commanders to the southern part of Kosovska Mitrovica, and make the remaining officers change their police stations is not acceptable for Serbia. Serbia stands ready to negotiate the issue, but will not accept unilateral decisions which Priština is now trying to carry out,” Bodganović said.

Head of the Kosovska Mitrovica District Radenko Nedeljković stated earlier on Monday that representatives of the local community do not want to back decisions of the Priština institutions if they had not been previously coordinated with the municipal authorities in the north of Kosovo.

In a statement given to Tanjug on the announced rotation of the commanding officers at the police stations in the north of Kosovo, Nedeljković said that representatives of the local self-government will back decisions of the commanders from this part of the province.

The Kosovo Police Service (KPS) announced the rotation of the commanding officers of the police stations in the north of Kosovo aimed at achieving better results, to be followed by rotations in other parts of Kosovo.

It is envisaged that the commanding officers at the police stations in Kosovska Mitrovica, Zvečan, Zubin Potok and Leposavic be rotated.

Kosovo Interior Minister Bajram Redzepi voiced his expectation that after the rotation, the level of corruption and illegal activities will be reduced.

The KPS also announced the rotation of commanding officers at the administrative line checkpoints near Jarinje and Brnjak in the north of Kosovo.