Minister condemns Kosovo official's announcement

Serbian Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic criticized Thursday Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci’s announcement of possible operations in the north. He cautioned that it would be “a dangerous adventure.” Minister condemns Kosovo official's announcement “Such statements are a clear indication about who pursues the policy of violence in the province,” the Serbian minister stressed. “Kuci's statement is yet another indication that Pristina has institutionalized violence as a political means to confront the Serb community. Any action taken by police in northern Kosovo would be a dangerous adventure with grave consequences that could spark a new spiral of violence,” Bogdanovic told Tanjug. “Such irresponsible and belligerent statements by political representatives of the Kosovo Albanians can only serve to drive the ambitions of Albanian extremists,” he added. “It is high time that Pristina said clearly what it wanted and chose either the dialogue or violence,” Bogdanovic stressed. He noted that international representatives in Kosovo and other relevant international political actors should not and must not stay indifferent to threats made by Kosovo Albanian political leaders and added that the international community had to prevent violence and extremism in the province, no matter which side caused them. "It is necessary for the international representatives to exert pressure on Pristina to stop making unilateral moves and inciting violence, but also to persuade them to actively take part in the creation of a safe environment and normal living conditions for the citizens, especially for Kosovo Serbs, who are most affected by such threats," the minister pointed out. Kuci stated late Wednesday that the Kosovo government might have to engage special police forces to conduct an operation in northern Kosovo similar to the one from July 25, 2011, adding that the measures were necessary to establish law and order in that part of the country. Goran Bogdanovic (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

Minister condemns Kosovo official's announcement

“Such statements are a clear indication about who pursues the policy of violence in the province,” the Serbian minister stressed.

“Kuci's statement is yet another indication that Priština has institutionalized violence as a political means to confront the Serb community. Any action taken by police in northern Kosovo would be a dangerous adventure with grave consequences that could spark a new spiral of violence,” Bogdanović told Tanjug.

“Such irresponsible and belligerent statements by political representatives of the Kosovo Albanians can only serve to drive the ambitions of Albanian extremists,” he added.

“It is high time that Priština said clearly what it wanted and chose either the dialogue or violence,” Bogdanović stressed.

He noted that international representatives in Kosovo and other relevant international political actors should not and must not stay indifferent to threats made by Kosovo Albanian political leaders and added that the international community had to prevent violence and extremism in the province, no matter which side caused them.

"It is necessary for the international representatives to exert pressure on Priština to stop making unilateral moves and inciting violence, but also to persuade them to actively take part in the creation of a safe environment and normal living conditions for the citizens, especially for Kosovo Serbs, who are most affected by such threats," the minister pointed out.

Kuci stated late Wednesday that the Kosovo government might have to engage special police forces to conduct an operation in northern Kosovo similar to the one from July 25, 2011, adding that the measures were necessary to establish law and order in that part of the country.