DS blames rivals DSS for Belgrade, Kosovo riots

Dragan Sutanovac says unrest in Belgrade and Kosovo after the unilateral declaration "did not happen by chance". The defense minister and high Democratic Party (DS) officials said that the violence was "coordinated and administered from Belgrade" and "for the most part" without the knowledge of the government. DS blames rivals DSS for Belgrade, Kosovo riots Sutanovac told the daily Blic that "everything that occurred was coordinated by Minister for Slobodan Samardzic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica". Belgrade saw rioting in the wake of the unilateral declaration of secession, that included attacks on some embassies in the capital – one person died when the U.S. embassy was set on fire; on March 17, UNMIK and KFOR stormed a court building in Kosovska Mitrovica where Serb judicial workers were protesting. This also sparked riots and cost one UNMIK policeman his life, while one Serb remains in critical condition, with over 130 people injured. Now the outgoing defense chief in the caretaker Kostunica cabinet said the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) leader's stance toward with the former coalition was "hypocritical", when he said that he has no trust in the Democratic Party and G17 Plus, "even though all decisions were made together up to the meeting where his proposal did not receive majority support.” The ruling coalition made up of the DS, DSS, NS and G17 Plus collapsed in early March, and elections have been scheduled for May 11. Sutanovac told the daily that Kostunica “is in the essence of his being anti-European, a man who would without any problem halt Serbia and turn it into Cuba.” He added that “when Kostunica says that ‘Serbia will enter the EU in many, many years", it shows "how bizarre his politics are, how much he cares about how the Serbians live at this moment and how they will receive healthcare and education.” Sutanovac then went on to say that "if he were the prime minister he would look for allies from the West and East", because the “autistic policy led by the prime minister does not lead to the solution of any problems". Speaking of the government Kosovo action plan regarding the unilateral declaration, the high DS official said that the plan is available to all ministers, but only in the government’s general secretariat. He added that the action plan was confirmed on the level of those who led Kosovo negotiations and that each ministry produced its part. “In the government, we received conjoined plans, we had time to only run through them quickly with the faith that our colleagues know what they are doing in their department. I was convinced that such a proposal would be given to key ministries once it was adopted,” said Sutanovac. “I was suspicious after the behavior of Minister Samardzic and his actions, which not even the president and the government were aware of,” he continued. According to Sutanovac, the cabinet never discussed the possible partition of Kosovo and that he “never sat at a meeting where the partition of Kosovo was discussed.” He also told Blic that NATO is "not a threat, but a partner to Serbia". Sutanovac added that he does not believe NATO and Serbia will "ever again be on opposite sides", adding that Partnership for Peace was, "for now", a sufficient framework for military cooperation. Violence coordinated in Belgrade: Dragan Sutanovac (FoNet, Archive)

DS blames rivals DSS for Belgrade, Kosovo riots

Šutanovac told the daily Blic that "everything that occurred was coordinated by Minister for Slobodan Samardžić and Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica".

Belgrade saw rioting in the wake of the unilateral declaration of secession, that included attacks on some embassies in the capital – one person died when the U.S. embassy was set on fire; on March 17, UNMIK and KFOR stormed a court building in Kosovska Mitrovica where Serb judicial workers were protesting. This also sparked riots and cost one UNMIK policeman his life, while one Serb remains in critical condition, with over 130 people injured.

Now the outgoing defense chief in the caretaker Koštunica cabinet said the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) leader's stance toward with the former coalition was "hypocritical", when he said that he has no trust in the Democratic Party and G17 Plus, "even though all decisions were made together up to the meeting where his proposal did not receive majority support.”

The ruling coalition made up of the DS, DSS, NS and G17 Plus collapsed in early March, and elections have been scheduled for May 11.

Šutanovac told the daily that Koštunica “is in the essence of his being anti-European, a man who would without any problem halt Serbia and turn it into Cuba.”

He added that “when Koštunica says that ‘Serbia will enter the EU in many, many years", it shows "how bizarre his politics are, how much he cares about how the Serbians live at this moment and how they will receive healthcare and education.”

Šutanovac then went on to say that "if he were the prime minister he would look for allies from the West and East", because the “autistic policy led by the prime minister does not lead to the solution of any problems".

Speaking of the government Kosovo action plan regarding the unilateral declaration, the high DS official said that the plan is available to all ministers, but only in the government’s general secretariat.

He added that the action plan was confirmed on the level of those who led Kosovo negotiations and that each ministry produced its part.

“In the government, we received conjoined plans, we had time to only run through them quickly with the faith that our colleagues know what they are doing in their department. I was convinced that such a proposal would be given to key ministries once it was adopted,” said Šutanovac.

“I was suspicious after the behavior of Minister Samardžić and his actions, which not even the president and the government were aware of,” he continued.

According to Šutanovac, the cabinet never discussed the possible partition of Kosovo and that he “never sat at a meeting where the partition of Kosovo was discussed.”

He also told Blic that NATO is "not a threat, but a partner to Serbia". Šutanovac added that he does not believe NATO and Serbia will "ever again be on opposite sides", adding that Partnership for Peace was, "for now", a sufficient framework for military cooperation.