Kosovo Serb leaders slam Tadić

Two prominent Kosovo Serb leaders yesterday severely criticized President Boris Tadic and his announcement he would sign the SAA with the EU. The leaders of the Union of Serb Municipalities and Settlements in Kosovo, and the Serb National Council (SNV) of Northern Kosovo, Marko Jaksic and Milan Ivanovic, held a joint news conference in Kosovska Mitrovica Saturday. Kosovo Serb leaders slam Tadic They told reporters that the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) without clear guarantees that Kosovo is a part of Serbia, "would represent an indirect recognition of the independence of the southern Serbian province". "Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija will not sit idly. We will not allow the greatest traitor in the modern Serbian history, Boris Tadic, to make such a signature go unnoticed," Jaksic said. The President of the Union of Serb Municipalities and Settlements in Kosovo added that in case the deal with the EU was signed, the Kosovo Serbs would stage demonstrations in Belgrade, outside the president's cabinet and “clearly say that the treason of Kosovo is not to be carried out in such a perfidious manner”. “We want to warn once again, President Tadic for one, that he should not perform an act of treason, that he should not sell a part of the country's territory in order to maintain power and his post, and that he is not to violate the state building-tradition Serbia has had up until now," Jaksic said. He also accused Tadic's fellow Democrat, Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac, of "entering the NATO HQ by the back door, in a bid to make a deal that would exclude Kosmet from Serbia". According to Jaksic, signing the SAA at a point when most EU countries have recognized the Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence, while Brussels is sending its mission to implement the Ahtisaari plan, "would mean that Serbia has recognized the Province as a separate state". Both Jaksic and Ivanovic also said that the local Serbian elections, called for May 11, "must be held in the whole territory of Kosovo and Metohija". Ivanovic added that the Kosovo Serbs gave up the idea to hold provincial elections in Kosovo, in exchange for UNMIK's agreement to the local vote. UNMIK said yesterday that it will consider the local elections in Kosovo illegal. "They do not have a single argument for this. What is illegal is their behavior which is stepping outside the Resolution 1244 mandate. Several months ago they transferred powers to Albanian institutions and allowed them to organize elections. What right have they to prevent us from doing the same now," Ivanovic said. Milan Ivanovic (Tanjug)

Kosovo Serb leaders slam Tadić

They told reporters that the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) without clear guarantees that Kosovo is a part of Serbia, "would represent an indirect recognition of the independence of the southern Serbian province".

"Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija will not sit idly. We will not allow the greatest traitor in the modern Serbian history, Boris Tadić, to make such a signature go unnoticed," Jakšić said.

The President of the Union of Serb Municipalities and Settlements in Kosovo added that in case the deal with the EU was signed, the Kosovo Serbs would stage demonstrations in Belgrade, outside the president's cabinet and “clearly say that the treason of Kosovo is not to be carried out in such a perfidious manner”.

“We want to warn once again, President Tadić for one, that he should not perform an act of treason, that he should not sell a part of the country's territory in order to maintain power and his post, and that he is not to violate the state building-tradition Serbia has had up until now," Jakšić said.

He also accused Tadić's fellow Democrat, Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac, of "entering the NATO HQ by the back door, in a bid to make a deal that would exclude Kosmet from Serbia".

According to Jakšić, signing the SAA at a point when most EU countries have recognized the Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence, while Brussels is sending its mission to implement the Ahtisaari plan, "would mean that Serbia has recognized the Province as a separate state".

Both Jakšić and Ivanović also said that the local Serbian elections, called for May 11, "must be held in the whole territory of Kosovo and Metohija".

Ivanović added that the Kosovo Serbs gave up the idea to hold provincial elections in Kosovo, in exchange for UNMIK's agreement to the local vote.

UNMIK said yesterday that it will consider the local elections in Kosovo illegal.

"They do not have a single argument for this. What is illegal is their behavior which is stepping outside the Resolution 1244 mandate. Several months ago they transferred powers to Albanian institutions and allowed them to organize elections. What right have they to prevent us from doing the same now," Ivanović said.