“Plan for north absolutely impossible”

Ministry for Kosovo State Secretary Oliver Ivanovic says it is ”absolutely impossible” for Pristina to implement its plan for the north without using force. The Kosovo Albanian government and the International Civilian Office (ICO) announced they were drafting a strategy to bring the Serb north of the province under Pristina’s control. “Plan for north absolutely impossible” Ivanovic told B92 Radio on Tuesday that the government in Belgrade “does not accept any kind of integration of northern municipalities into the Kosovo system”. He also described as provocation the announced opening of a Kosovo government office in northern Kosovska Mitrovica on February 9. Ivanovic spoke about salaries received by employees in Kosovo, to say that it was determined earlier that 240 people received double wages, but that this was no longer the case. Minister again comments on “plan for north” Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic says Belgrade will “never accept closing down of Serbian institutions”. This, he told the state broadcaster RTS late on Monday, does not only apply to the Serb-dominated north of the province, “but in all parts of Kosovo and Metohija where Serbs live”. Bogdanovic evaluated that “the plan drawn up by ICO headed by Pieter Feith and the so-called government of Kosovo is nothing else but Martti Ahtisaari's plan, under which the so-called government will rule in the north of Kosovo”. The minister said that Belgrade is “prepared to discuss everything in a constructive and pragmatic way, but that it is not ready to discuss abolition of the Serbian institutions, which help preserve the Serb people in Kosovo and Metohija, not only in the north but also in the area south of the Ibar River”. Bogdanovic also said that there is “no communication with Feith”, that he “does not represent the European Union in Kosovo and Metohija but the countries which had recognized Kosovo's independence”, and that “his rhetoric addressed at Serbs and strengthening of the independence give us the right not to communicate with him”. Feith has announced the so-called strategy for integrating northern areas with Pristina’s institutions in his capacity as ICO chief; he also holds another office, that of EU’s special representative in Kosovo.

“Plan for north absolutely impossible”

Ivanović told B92 Radio on Tuesday that the government in Belgrade “does not accept any kind of integration of northern municipalities into the Kosovo system”.

He also described as provocation the announced opening of a Kosovo government office in northern Kosovska Mitrovica on February 9.

Ivanović spoke about salaries received by employees in Kosovo, to say that it was determined earlier that 240 people received double wages, but that this was no longer the case.

Minister again comments on “plan for north”

Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanović says Belgrade will “never accept closing down of Serbian institutions”.

This, he told the state broadcaster RTS late on Monday, does not only apply to the Serb-dominated north of the province, “but in all parts of Kosovo and Metohija where Serbs live”.

Bogdanović evaluated that “the plan drawn up by ICO headed by Pieter Feith and the so-called government of Kosovo is nothing else but Martti Ahtisaari's plan, under which the so-called government will rule in the north of Kosovo”.

The minister said that Belgrade is “prepared to discuss everything in a constructive and pragmatic way, but that it is not ready to discuss abolition of the Serbian institutions, which help preserve the Serb people in Kosovo and Metohija, not only in the north but also in the area south of the Ibar River”.

Bogdanović also said that there is “no communication with Feith”, that he “does not represent the European Union in Kosovo and Metohija but the countries which had recognized Kosovo's independence”, and that “his rhetoric addressed at Serbs and strengthening of the independence give us the right not to communicate with him”.

Feith has announced the so-called strategy for integrating northern areas with Priština’s institutions in his capacity as ICO chief; he also holds another office, that of EU’s special representative in Kosovo.