Interior minister tours Ground Safety Zone checkpoints

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic today visited members of the Serbian police Gendarmerie deployed along the administrative line between central Serbia and Kosovo. The minister on Monday toured the Tabalije and Rudnica administrative crossings in the Ground Safety Zone (GSZ). The Gendarmes also have a base near Tabalije. Interior minister tours Ground Safety Zone checkpoints Dacic was quoted as saying that Serbia would not abandon Serbs in northern Kosovo, and criticizing EU officials for their request to Belgrade to close its institutions in the north of the province. "This is a message that Serbs should leave Kosovo, which could provoke further ethnic cleansing," Dacic said, adding that "some European politicians are not aware what they are saying". After visiting the MUP base near Tabalije, Dacic called on the Serbs in northern Kosovo and Metohija to be united and aware that the current situation in that part of the province needs a compromise solution that would be acceptable for Belgrade and Pristina. Dacic said that he advised the Serbs to be united, because this was the time for rational, reasonable decisions and that everyone should be aware of the present situation. According to Dacic, this means finding the best solution that would first of all guarantee the survival of Serbs in northern Kosovo and which would give them equal treatment and status that Kosovo Albanians had earlier in the international community. Dacic added that some European politicians think that someone in Belgrade is telling Kosovo Serbs what to do, noting that Belgrade can tell them what it wants, but that Kosovo Serbs will not accept the so-called independence of the province. Asked whether he expects new incidents at the administrative crossings Jarinje and Brnjak, Dacic said it would not be good if they were closed by the Kosovo police, but that burning them subsequently would not be good either. Unilateral actions do not contribute to stability, Dacic said. more photos from the GSZ (Tanjug) "Could be better" Ivica Dacic said Monday that Serbian police cooperation with KFOR and EULEX in Kosovo and Metohija could be better, as that would prevent any unilateral moves by either side. "It is absolutely absurd and counterproductive to be setting a new Berlin wall at the administrative crossings towards the north of Kosovo at the time when borders are being erased in Europe, " Dacic said in Ribaric, after visiting the Ground Safety Zone along the administrative line with Kosovo. Dacic said this was not a solution, because Belgrade could respond to Pristina in kind. Administrative crossings in GSZ pass through the territory inhabited by ethnic Albanians on both sides of the line, he said, wondering whether this means that Belgrade should apply the same measures and close the administrative border crossings in Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja.

Interior minister tours Ground Safety Zone checkpoints

Dačić was quoted as saying that Serbia would not abandon Serbs in northern Kosovo, and criticizing EU officials for their request to Belgrade to close its institutions in the north of the province.

"This is a message that Serbs should leave Kosovo, which could provoke further ethnic cleansing," Dačić said, adding that "some European politicians are not aware what they are saying".

After visiting the MUP base near Tabalije, Dačić called on the Serbs in northern Kosovo and Metohija to be united and aware that the current situation in that part of the province needs a compromise solution that would be acceptable for Belgrade and Priština.

Dačić said that he advised the Serbs to be united, because this was the time for rational, reasonable decisions and that everyone should be aware of the present situation.

According to Dačić, this means finding the best solution that would first of all guarantee the survival of Serbs in northern Kosovo and which would give them equal treatment and status that Kosovo Albanians had earlier in the international community.

Dačić added that some European politicians think that someone in Belgrade is telling Kosovo Serbs what to do, noting that Belgrade can tell them what it wants, but that Kosovo Serbs will not accept the so-called independence of the province.

Asked whether he expects new incidents at the administrative crossings Jarinje and Brnjak, Dačić said it would not be good if they were closed by the Kosovo police, but that burning them subsequently would not be good either.

Unilateral actions do not contribute to stability, Dačić said.

more photos from the GSZ

"Could be better"

Ivica Dačić said Monday that Serbian police cooperation with KFOR and EULEX in Kosovo and Metohija could be better, as that would prevent any unilateral moves by either side.

"It is absolutely absurd and counterproductive to be setting a new Berlin wall at the administrative crossings towards the north of Kosovo at the time when borders are being erased in Europe, " Dačić said in Ribarić, after visiting the Ground Safety Zone along the administrative line with Kosovo.

Dačić said this was not a solution, because Belgrade could respond to Priština in kind.

Administrative crossings in GSZ pass through the territory inhabited by ethnic Albanians on both sides of the line, he said, wondering whether this means that Belgrade should apply the same measures and close the administrative border crossings in Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa.