Serbs, Kosovo police clash, 20 hurt

Kosovo police, KPS, members and some 1,000 Serbs protesting against power cuts to their villages clashed on Sunday evening. The protests concern three villages near Kosovska Kamenica that have been left in the dark. Unofficially, about 20 demonstrators and police seriously and lightly hurt. Serbs, Kosovo police clash, 20 hurt Serb sources said that the situation was "fairly tense", while according to the latest reports this morning citing KPS sources, it is now gradually stabilizing. Serbs from the villages of Ranilug and Ropotovo on Sunday evening joined those from Donje Korminjane who earlier in the day attempted to block the Bujanovac-Gnjilane road in protest over several days of electricity cuts to their communities. Five Serbs were reportedly arrested. Both Serb representatives and local KPS spokesman Ismet Hasani confirmed for FoNet news agency that the clashes near Donje Korminjane were ongoing, and that the unrest had spread to Ranilug and Ropotovo. According to Hasani, the protesting Serbs were throwing rocks and other objects at KPS members because they would not allow the road block. He also said that several policemen had been lightly injured, and that the traffic was stopped "for security reasons". Kosovsko Pomoravlje District chief Dragan Nikolic told FoNet that the road blockade came as the local Serbs wished to draw attention to themselves and the electricity problem they face in the province. He said that they refuse to pay their bills to the Kosovo company in charge of electricity distribution, KEK, and instead want Belgrade to solve the problem and introduce a second provider – the public power enterprise, EPS. Earlier this month, Nikolic and heads of four Pomoravlje municipalities decided that the Serbs in this area of Kosovo and Metohija would not pay the bills or sign individual contracts with KEK. President Boris Tadic has also been asked to meet with Serb representatives in order to learn about the electricity supply problems. In Belgrade late on Sunday, Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic called on the protesters in the three Serb villages to calm the situation, avoid conflicts with KPS members, and solve the problem peacefully. "The ministry for Kosovo and Metohija is working to solve the problem, that we have inherited. We are in constant contact with the international community, but violence, regardless of where it comes from, will certainly not bring electricity to the Serbs," said he, and reminded that "this problem has not been solved by anyone during the past ten years".

Serbs, Kosovo police clash, 20 hurt

Serb sources said that the situation was "fairly tense", while according to the latest reports this morning citing KPS sources, it is now gradually stabilizing.

Serbs from the villages of Ranilug and Ropotovo on Sunday evening joined those from Donje Korminjane who earlier in the day attempted to block the Bujanovac-Gnjilane road in protest over several days of electricity cuts to their communities.

Five Serbs were reportedly arrested.

Both Serb representatives and local KPS spokesman Ismet Hasani confirmed for FoNet news agency that the clashes near Donje Korminjane were ongoing, and that the unrest had spread to Ranilug and Ropotovo.

According to Hasani, the protesting Serbs were throwing rocks and other objects at KPS members because they would not allow the road block. He also said that several policemen had been lightly injured, and that the traffic was stopped "for security reasons".

Kosovsko Pomoravlje District chief Dragan Nikolić told FoNet that the road blockade came as the local Serbs wished to draw attention to themselves and the electricity problem they face in the province.

He said that they refuse to pay their bills to the Kosovo company in charge of electricity distribution, KEK, and instead want Belgrade to solve the problem and introduce a second provider – the public power enterprise, EPS.

Earlier this month, Nikolić and heads of four Pomoravlje municipalities decided that the Serbs in this area of Kosovo and Metohija would not pay the bills or sign individual contracts with KEK.

President Boris Tadić has also been asked to meet with Serb representatives in order to learn about the electricity supply problems.

In Belgrade late on Sunday, Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanović called on the protesters in the three Serb villages to calm the situation, avoid conflicts with KPS members, and solve the problem peacefully.

"The ministry for Kosovo and Metohija is working to solve the problem, that we have inherited. We are in constant contact with the international community, but violence, regardless of where it comes from, will certainly not bring electricity to the Serbs," said he, and reminded that "this problem has not been solved by anyone during the past ten years".