K-Serb assembly calls for EULEX boycott

Delegates of the Kosovo Serb Assembly in northern Kosovska Mitrovica stated yesterday that, for them, UNMIK is the only legitimate mission in Kosovo. The delegates said that they trusted that Belgrade would not hasten UNMIK’s departure from the province. K-Serb assembly calls for EULEX boycott The assembly concluded that UNMIK’s departure could have devastating consequences for the remaining Serbs in Kosovo. The assembly’s final declaration, opposed by Democratic Party (DS) delegates, stated that “EULEX cannot be status neutral, because in the majority of Kosovo, its work is based on the constitution of the self-proclaimed state of Kosovo.” The assembly’s declaration states that in spite of the petition signed by 70,322 Kosovo Serbs and the Serbian parliament’s resolution, the Belgrade authorities had nonetheless decided to accept the EU mission in Kosovo that was based on the Ahtisaari plan. "Revision of the Kumanovo Agreement is based on the principle of: EULEX in return for the Ground Safety Zone. The true meaning of that is to annul the decision to return 1,000 Serbian police officers and soldiers to Kosovo,” the assembly declaration adds. The assembly supported the decision of the Kosovo Ministry on tracking state funds, calling for the inspection to focus also on the state secretary in that ministry. The assembly also asked the Serbian government to call provincial elections in Kosovo, which would, it is stated, open the door for establishing provincial institutions. Deputy Speaker Marko Jaksic said that regardless of the six-point agreement between Belgrade and the UN, Serbs living in the province had no reason to have any contact or negotiations with EULEX. "Our only address should be UNMIK. They’re the ones we should be holding negotiations and cooperating with,” Jaksic told the assembly, adding that the Serbs should ignore the EULEX mission. "We have a right to boycott EULEX, regardless of Belgrade’s position. Not through violence, but through a boycott, because we don’t want to have any contact with them,” Jaksic said. The Assembly of the Serb Municipalities of Kosovo and Metohija meets in Kosovska Mitrovica on Thursday (Tanjug)

K-Serb assembly calls for EULEX boycott

The assembly concluded that UNMIK’s departure could have devastating consequences for the remaining Serbs in Kosovo. The assembly’s final declaration, opposed by Democratic Party (DS) delegates, stated that “EULEX cannot be status neutral, because in the majority of Kosovo, its work is based on the constitution of the self-proclaimed state of Kosovo.”

The assembly’s declaration states that in spite of the petition signed by 70,322 Kosovo Serbs and the Serbian parliament’s resolution, the Belgrade authorities had nonetheless decided to accept the EU mission in Kosovo that was based on the Ahtisaari plan.

"Revision of the Kumanovo Agreement is based on the principle of: EULEX in return for the Ground Safety Zone. The true meaning of that is to annul the decision to return 1,000 Serbian police officers and soldiers to Kosovo,” the assembly declaration adds.

The assembly supported the decision of the Kosovo Ministry on tracking state funds, calling for the inspection to focus also on the state secretary in that ministry.

The assembly also asked the Serbian government to call provincial elections in Kosovo, which would, it is stated, open the door for establishing provincial institutions.

Deputy Speaker Marko Jakšić said that regardless of the six-point agreement between Belgrade and the UN, Serbs living in the province had no reason to have any contact or negotiations with EULEX.

"Our only address should be UNMIK. They’re the ones we should be holding negotiations and cooperating with,” Jakšić told the assembly, adding that the Serbs should ignore the EULEX mission.

"We have a right to boycott EULEX, regardless of Belgrade’s position. Not through violence, but through a boycott, because we don’t want to have any contact with them,” Jakšić said.