"New govt. will insist on issue of Serbian security forces"

Future PM Ivica Dacic says that incidents at the Merdare administrative line checkpoint should be condemned, and called on international forces to prevent them. "Vidovdan (St. Vitus Day) is a great holiday for the Serb people, and every year incidents happen in Kosovo and Metohija. If the Serb people in Kosovo and Metohija cannot mark Vidovdan - a day of great sacrifice, then it begs the question of how anyone can ensure a peaceful life for them," Dacic stated. "New govt. will insist on issue of Serbian security forces" Addressing reports shortly after he received the mandate to form a government from President Tomislav Nikolic, the SPS leader noted that "as you know, there are no Serbian security forces in Kosovo", but added: "However, a new government of the Republic of Serbia - if it is formed - will insist precisely on that. All the talks being held on Kosovo and Metohija must start with preservation of peace in mind." Meanwhile, Serbian Police Director Milorad Veljovic also addressed reporters on Thursday and spoke about the incidents at Merdare - and the attack on a police checkpoint in Dobrosin, along the administrative line between Kosovo and central Serbia. Veljovic described the incidents as "new, premeditated provocations". Speaking about Merdare, he specified that at 22:00 CET on Wednesday two buses carrying Partizan FC fans departed toward Gazimestan - the Battle of Kosovo site, where Vidovdan is marked each year. "We searched the buses and found nothing on the fans that would point they should be turned back. There was no basis to send them back," said Veljovic, and added that the buses were headed toward the Rudnice administrative line crossing, that they were "in some way" given approval from the Kosovo police, KPS, to enter Kosovo - but that they were then sent to Merdare. After that, Veljovic told reporters, "three windows on the buses were broken" - and once the fans exited the vehicles, clashes broke out with KPS members who used firearms and chemicals. The police have information that nine fans were injured - two seriously. They were shot from firearms and are now treated in the southern town of Nis. According to Veljovic, international forces in Kosovo "must not allow for this kind of behavior of the KPS". "The Serbian police acted in line with our jurisdictions. We reinforced those administrative crossings, but incidents broke out once again. I am once again pointing out that these issues must be solved by politics, not the police," Veljovic said. He added that although the police were in contact with the EU mission in the province, EULEX, "good information could not be obtained from them". "They mostly shift the blame. We will continue to investigate this - yet another in a series of premeditated provocations, that I'm afraid will continue to happen in the future." As for the attack in Dobrosin, Veljovic said the Serbian police there were shot at,, and specified that of the five officers who were at the checkpoint at the time one received shrapnel woulds to his back. The officer's injuries were described as "light". Veljovic stressed that the police "provided no cause for this attack, the second in a short amount of time": "On the contrary - we are trying to return the relations to normal, that is, to completely control the situation in that part of Serbia. We will not allow anyone to injure the police any longer. We will do everything to point out to the international community as well that this is not the right road to take." The police director added that the MUP would do what needs to be done to find the perpetrators and respond adequately, pointing out "to EULEX, and also to all other factors in Kosovo and Metohija that problems, whatever they may be, should not be solved in this way". Veljovic (R), former and current commanders attend a Gendarmerie event on Thursday (Tanjug) Beta Tanjug

"New govt. will insist on issue of Serbian security forces"

Addressing reports shortly after he received the mandate to form a government from President Tomislav Nikolić, the SPS leader noted that "as you know, there are no Serbian security forces in Kosovo", but added:

"However, a new government of the Republic of Serbia - if it is formed - will insist precisely on that. All the talks being held on Kosovo and Metohija must start with preservation of peace in mind."

Meanwhile, Serbian Police Director Milorad Veljović also addressed reporters on Thursday and spoke about the incidents at Merdare - and the attack on a police checkpoint in Dobrosin, along the administrative line between Kosovo and central Serbia.

Veljović described the incidents as "new, premeditated provocations".

Speaking about Merdare, he specified that at 22:00 CET on Wednesday two buses carrying Partizan FC fans departed toward Gazimestan - the Battle of Kosovo site, where Vidovdan is marked each year.

"We searched the buses and found nothing on the fans that would point they should be turned back. There was no basis to send them back," said Veljović, and added that the buses were headed toward the Rudnice administrative line crossing, that they were "in some way" given approval from the Kosovo police, KPS, to enter Kosovo - but that they were then sent to Merdare.

After that, Veljović told reporters, "three windows on the buses were broken" - and once the fans exited the vehicles, clashes broke out with KPS members who used firearms and chemicals.

The police have information that nine fans were injured - two seriously. They were shot from firearms and are now treated in the southern town of Niš.

According to Veljović, international forces in Kosovo "must not allow for this kind of behavior of the KPS".

"The Serbian police acted in line with our jurisdictions. We reinforced those administrative crossings, but incidents broke out once again. I am once again pointing out that these issues must be solved by politics, not the police," Veljović said.

He added that although the police were in contact with the EU mission in the province, EULEX, "good information could not be obtained from them".

"They mostly shift the blame. We will continue to investigate this - yet another in a series of premeditated provocations, that I'm afraid will continue to happen in the future."

As for the attack in Dobrosin, Veljović said the Serbian police there were shot at,, and specified that of the five officers who were at the checkpoint at the time one received shrapnel woulds to his back. The officer's injuries were described as "light".

Veljović stressed that the police "provided no cause for this attack, the second in a short amount of time":

"On the contrary - we are trying to return the relations to normal, that is, to completely control the situation in that part of Serbia. We will not allow anyone to injure the police any longer. We will do everything to point out to the international community as well that this is not the right road to take."

The police director added that the MUP would do what needs to be done to find the perpetrators and respond adequately, pointing out "to EULEX, and also to all other factors in Kosovo and Metohija that problems, whatever they may be, should not be solved in this way".