Minister prevented from visiting Serb enclave

BELGRADE The Government Office for Kosovo has condemned the decision by the Pristina authorities to prevent Minister Aleksandar Vulin from traveling to a Serb enclave. In a statement quoted by Tanjug, the office said that the government in Pristina "once again denied Serbia's Minister without Portfolio Aleksandar Vulin permission to visit Strpce and the Brezovica resort, southern Kosovo." Minister prevented from visiting Serb enclave Vulin was supposed to visit that predominantly Serb populated municipality in Brezovica on Sunday and open a local ski lift and ski course, which have been closed for two years, but EULEX informed him that he did not have permission to come to Kosovo. This decision continues the "policy of forbidden towns," because what other name could be used for the kind of practice that makes some places in Kosovo inaccessible to the Serbs and officials of the Serbian government, the office said. This is the fifth time Vulin has been denied a visit to Strpce, the office stated, adding that Prime Minister Ivica Dacic was also denied a visit in November 2013, during the campaign for the local elections. No one has been punished for stoning the Serbs who tried to visit their homes in Djakovica on Christmas, the office pointed out. "It is obvious that Pristina feels encouraged to continue violating the agreements with Belgrade, obstruct their implementation and make it impossible to sign new ones," according to the statement. The office wants the international community to exercise its authority in Kosovo and ensure the implementation of all the agreements, adding that denials of visits by Serbian officials and the stoning of Serbs who had been driven out of their homes and Kosovo are a clear indication of what would happen if the international presence in Kosovo were reduced. (Tanjug, file) "Elections no obstacle to talks" Aleksandar Vulin said on Monday that early parliamentary elections in Serbia can be no obstacle to the dialogue with Pristina and that, as in the past, the Kosovo and Metohija Serbs will vote in the elections. "This government has implemented seven agreements signed by the previous government, and every future government will be implementing the Brussels Agreement, which has been signed by this government. There will be no problems on our side," Vulin told the RTS. Vulin also does not expect the early parliamentary elections to slow down the formation of the community of Serb municipalities in any way. Asked whether the Kosovo and Metohija Serbs will vote in the early parliamentary elections on March 16, Vulin said that they will. "As in the past, the Serbs will vote in the elections. One of the first points we discussed when all this started was the Serbs' right to vote in the Serbian presidential and parliamentary elections," Vulin said. He announced that his Movement of Socialists will once again run in parliamentary elections with the Serb Progressive Party (SNS). The SNS presidency unanimously supported on Sunday the proposal by its leader Aleksandar Vucic to call early parliamentary elections. RTS Tanjug

Minister prevented from visiting Serb enclave

Vulin was supposed to visit that predominantly Serb populated municipality in Brezovica on Sunday and open a local ski lift and ski course, which have been closed for two years, but EULEX informed him that he did not have permission to come to Kosovo.

This decision continues the "policy of forbidden towns," because what other name could be used for the kind of practice that makes some places in Kosovo inaccessible to the Serbs and officials of the Serbian government, the office said.

This is the fifth time Vulin has been denied a visit to Štrpce, the office stated, adding that Prime Minister Ivica Dačić was also denied a visit in November 2013, during the campaign for the local elections.

No one has been punished for stoning the Serbs who tried to visit their homes in Djakovica on Christmas, the office pointed out.

"It is obvious that Priština feels encouraged to continue violating the agreements with Belgrade, obstruct their implementation and make it impossible to sign new ones," according to the statement.

The office wants the international community to exercise its authority in Kosovo and ensure the implementation of all the agreements, adding that denials of visits by Serbian officials and the stoning of Serbs who had been driven out of their homes and Kosovo are a clear indication of what would happen if the international presence in Kosovo were reduced.

"Elections no obstacle to talks"

Aleksandar Vulin said on Monday that early parliamentary elections in Serbia can be no obstacle to the dialogue with Priština and that, as in the past, the Kosovo and Metohija Serbs will vote in the elections.

"This government has implemented seven agreements signed by the previous government, and every future government will be implementing the Brussels Agreement, which has been signed by this government. There will be no problems on our side," Vulin told the RTS.

Vulin also does not expect the early parliamentary elections to slow down the formation of the community of Serb municipalities in any way.

Asked whether the Kosovo and Metohija Serbs will vote in the early parliamentary elections on March 16, Vulin said that they will.

"As in the past, the Serbs will vote in the elections. One of the first points we discussed when all this started was the Serbs' right to vote in the Serbian presidential and parliamentary elections," Vulin said.

He announced that his Movement of Socialists will once again run in parliamentary elections with the Serb Progressive Party (SNS).

The SNS presidency unanimously supported on Sunday the proposal by its leader Aleksandar Vučić to call early parliamentary elections.