Serbs stage protest in Kosovska Mitrovica

Several hundred Serbs gathered for a protest in the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica on Monday. They demanded that President Boris Tadic withdraw the consent given for the deployment of the EU mission, EULEX, in the province. Serbs stage protest in Kosovska Mitrovica The protesters, who gathered in the rain, claimed that the mission works in the interest of ethnic Albanians, and cited the building of their houses in the flashpoint settlement of Brdjani. They also said that protests in there would continue. The Serbs gathered today also demanded that the Serbian government representatives get more involved, and believe that they have not done enough to protect them when it comes to the Brdjani case. The Serbs there are not against the returns, but do object to "one-way returns", said Sinisa Lazic, who represents Brdjani's Serbs, and reminded that 250,000 of their compatriots driven out of their homes across Kosovo still cannot go back. Brdjani has been under control of strong EULEX and KFOR forces for days. Ethnic Albanians have built five houses there, and are building a further 18. Serbs are constructing five buildings there with eight apartments each. There have been no incidents among the workers, said reports. Serb National Council Executive Committee member Momir Kasalovic said that EULEX is "working according to the Ahtisaari plan in order to create another Albanian state in Kosovo and Metohija". "We are asking that President Boris Tadic cancels the hospitality extended to EULEX and give back UNMIK their powers until Serb army and police return to these areas," he told those gathered. Kasalovic also called on the president not to allow for an announced agreement between EULEX and Serbia's MUP to be signed, adding that it would mean "setting up of a border between central Serbia and Kosovo and Metohija". "Albanian separatist have the goal of making northern Kosovska Mitrovica into an enclave and they are doing it via Brdjani and Mikro Naselje," Brdjani local Andrija Vukomanovic said, and called on the state leadership to work and solve the problems in that municipality. The protesters wore black t-shirts with the Serbian coat of arms and the word "Brdjani" printed on them. They also carried banners reading, "Kosovo has no alternative", "Tadic, we don't want borders", "EULEX=racism", and a large banner reading, "Until death in Mitrovica, Brdjani". The protest in Kosovska Mitrovica today (Beta)

Serbs stage protest in Kosovska Mitrovica

The protesters, who gathered in the rain, claimed that the mission works in the interest of ethnic Albanians, and cited the building of their houses in the flashpoint settlement of Brđani.

They also said that protests in there would continue.

The Serbs gathered today also demanded that the Serbian government representatives get more involved, and believe that they have not done enough to protect them when it comes to the Brđani case.

The Serbs there are not against the returns, but do object to "one-way returns", said Siniša Lazić, who represents Brđani's Serbs, and reminded that 250,000 of their compatriots driven out of their homes across Kosovo still cannot go back.

Brđani has been under control of strong EULEX and KFOR forces for days. Ethnic Albanians have built five houses there, and are building a further 18.

Serbs are constructing five buildings there with eight apartments each. There have been no incidents among the workers, said reports.

Serb National Council Executive Committee member Momir Kasalović said that EULEX is "working according to the Ahtisaari plan in order to create another Albanian state in Kosovo and Metohija".

"We are asking that President Boris Tadić cancels the hospitality extended to EULEX and give back UNMIK their powers until Serb army and police return to these areas," he told those gathered.

Kasalović also called on the president not to allow for an announced agreement between EULEX and Serbia's MUP to be signed, adding that it would mean "setting up of a border between central Serbia and Kosovo and Metohija".

"Albanian separatist have the goal of making northern Kosovska Mitrovica into an enclave and they are doing it via Brđani and Mikro Naselje," Brđani local Andrija Vukomanović said, and called on the state leadership to work and solve the problems in that municipality.

The protesters wore black t-shirts with the Serbian coat of arms and the word "Brđani" printed on them. They also carried banners reading, "Kosovo has no alternative", "Tadić, we don't want borders", "EULEX=racism", and a large banner reading, "Until death in Mitrovica, Brđani".