Protest won’t affect talks, state secretary says

Self-Determination Movement’s protest will not have a direct impact on the Belgrade-Pristina talks, says Ministry for Kosovo State Secretary Oliver Ivanovic. “We have to reach some results that will be a fruit of compromise for our own sake, for the region and Europe,” he told B92. Protest won’t affect talks, state secretary says The state secretary stressed that nobody had paid any special attention to the Self-Determination Movement for a long time but that the Saturday clashes near Podujevo had made everybody realize the danger coming from the group which was becoming more popular. “The movement is expanding, it’s gaining momentum, but I think that it will not continue in such manner because the international community will now try to explain to the Albanians and the government that something that can turn into wider conflicts cannot be tolerated,” Ivanovic stressed. He added that the Saturday protest showed that the Self-Determination Movement was well-organized and that they had enough funds, bearing in mind that the group’s supporters had arrived in about 40 buses. The state secretary stated that the fact that many people had been arrested during the protest proved that the clashes had been serious. Commenting on the referendum in northern Kosovo, Ivanovic assessed that the move could only provoke “another similar reaction from (Self-Determination Movement leader Albin) Kurti or someone else who would take it upon themselves to solve some issues that the executive authorities in Pristina cannot solve”. He explained that Serbia would not take any repressive measures regarding the referendum and that there was no legal framework that would allow the state to sanction the four mayors who had organized the referendum, but added that he hoped that they would realize their responsibility and seriousness of the move. Oliver Ivanovic (Beta, file) B92

Protest won’t affect talks, state secretary says

The state secretary stressed that nobody had paid any special attention to the Self-Determination Movement for a long time but that the Saturday clashes near Podujevo had made everybody realize the danger coming from the group which was becoming more popular.

“The movement is expanding, it’s gaining momentum, but I think that it will not continue in such manner because the international community will now try to explain to the Albanians and the government that something that can turn into wider conflicts cannot be tolerated,” Ivanović stressed.

He added that the Saturday protest showed that the Self-Determination Movement was well-organized and that they had enough funds, bearing in mind that the group’s supporters had arrived in about 40 buses.

The state secretary stated that the fact that many people had been arrested during the protest proved that the clashes had been serious.

Commenting on the referendum in northern Kosovo, Ivanović assessed that the move could only provoke “another similar reaction from (Self-Determination Movement leader Albin) Kurti or someone else who would take it upon themselves to solve some issues that the executive authorities in Priština cannot solve”.

He explained that Serbia would not take any repressive measures regarding the referendum and that there was no legal framework that would allow the state to sanction the four mayors who had organized the referendum, but added that he hoped that they would realize their responsibility and seriousness of the move.