Attack on Serb returnees “terrorism”

Ministry for Kosovo State Secretary Oliver Ivanovic has condemned last night's shooting incident near a Serb returnee camp in Kosovo. Ivanovic described the shooting as an act of terrorism, and called on the EU mission in the province, EULEX, “to act at last”. Attack on Serb returnees “terrorism” “This is a textbook act of terrorism and the very fact that it has repeated twice, while there was no efficient action on the part of police, must worry everyone. EULEX must get involved and start doing its job at last,” he told FoNet news agency in Belgrade on Thursday. Ivanovic explained that EULEX stood back “expecting that local police can handle it”. “I spoke to KFOR too. They too ought to start an investigation, because their members were involved in the previous incident. Slovenian contingent soldiers were in the tent when the shooting occurred,” said he. Ivanovic warned that the returnees in the village of Zac, who now live in tents next to their destroyed homes, came under attack late on Wednesday despite the fact that a Kosovo police, KPS, patrol was deployed there 24 hours a day. “One wonders how that's possible? If Kosovo police are not providing protection and safety for Serbs, if they did not discover the perpetrators of the previous attack, then it's quite justified to ask whether they have been, through their inaction, protecting the assailants,” Ivanovic was quoted as saying. The state secretary added that with all the incidents, “there can certainly be no return of Serbs to speak of”, and once again rejected claims by ethnic Albanians that war criminals were among those who earlier this year decided to return to their homes in Zac. “Planned campaign of violence” Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic stated on Thursday that the latest attack on Serb returnees in the village of Zac is part of a premeditated violence strategy that is aimed at another exile of the village inhabitants who have returned to their homes. “EULEX cannot and should not watch violence and only condemn it. How come the incidents keep happening in this village, if the returnees are protected by the Kosovo police (KPS),” Bogdanovic stated and underscored that EULEX, as well as KFOR, have to explain why the KPS has not identified perpetrators of any of the incidents and whether that implies that the KPS is an accomplice in the attacks. According to him, the incident that took place in the village of Zac on Wednesday evening proves that KFOR cannot entrust the protection of Kosovo Serbs to the KPS. “I urge EULEX and KFOR to react, find those who attacked the returnees in Zac and offer full support and security to the village inhabitants. I also urge KFOR to assume responsibility for the Zac inhabitants from KPS. I insist that the international community and the legitimate international presence should secure the return of the expelled to the province, that is persistently hindered by Pristina, which does not shrink from using violence,” Bogdanovic said.

Attack on Serb returnees “terrorism”

“This is a textbook act of terrorism and the very fact that it has repeated twice, while there was no efficient action on the part of police, must worry everyone. EULEX must get involved and start doing its job at last,” he told FoNet news agency in Belgrade on Thursday.

Ivanović explained that EULEX stood back “expecting that local police can handle it”.

“I spoke to KFOR too. They too ought to start an investigation, because their members were involved in the previous incident. Slovenian contingent soldiers were in the tent when the shooting occurred,” said he.

Ivanović warned that the returnees in the village of Žač, who now live in tents next to their destroyed homes, came under attack late on Wednesday despite the fact that a Kosovo police, KPS, patrol was deployed there 24 hours a day.

“One wonders how that's possible? If Kosovo police are not providing protection and safety for Serbs, if they did not discover the perpetrators of the previous attack, then it's quite justified to ask whether they have been, through their inaction, protecting the assailants,” Ivanović was quoted as saying.

The state secretary added that with all the incidents, “there can certainly be no return of Serbs to speak of”, and once again rejected claims by ethnic Albanians that war criminals were among those who earlier this year decided to return to their homes in Žač.

“Planned campaign of violence”

Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanović stated on Thursday that the latest attack on Serb returnees in the village of Žač is part of a premeditated violence strategy that is aimed at another exile of the village inhabitants who have returned to their homes.

“EULEX cannot and should not watch violence and only condemn it. How come the incidents keep happening in this village, if the returnees are protected by the Kosovo police (KPS),” Bogdanović stated and underscored that EULEX, as well as KFOR, have to explain why the KPS has not identified perpetrators of any of the incidents and whether that implies that the KPS is an accomplice in the attacks.

According to him, the incident that took place in the village of Žač on Wednesday evening proves that KFOR cannot entrust the protection of Kosovo Serbs to the KPS.

“I urge EULEX and KFOR to react, find those who attacked the returnees in Žač and offer full support and security to the village inhabitants. I also urge KFOR to assume responsibility for the Žač inhabitants from KPS. I insist that the international community and the legitimate international presence should secure the return of the expelled to the province, that is persistently hindered by Priština, which does not shrink from using violence,” Bogdanović said.