UNMIK wants re-opening of K. Mitrovica court

UNMIK Chief Lamberto Zannier said that UNMIK wants the court in Kosovska Mitrovica to be re-opened soon. He told Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic of the problems with the functioning of the court, according to UNMIK sources. UNMIK wants re-opening of K. Mitrovica court UNMIK spokesperson Alexander Ivanko told Beta news agency that UNMIK wants the court to be re-opened as soon as possible. After Kosovo Albanians unilaterally declared independence on Feb. 17, Serbs judicial workers, previously driven out of their offices, re-entered the court building and demanded their jobs back. Ethnic Albanian and international judges had previously worked in the court in northern Kosovska Mitrovica, which is predominantly populated by Serbs. Deadly clashes erupted on March 17, when KFOR and UNMIK raided the court premises arresting Serb workers. Local Serbs reacted with riots that left some 200 people injured on both sides. One Ukrainian policeman from the ranks of UNMIK died of his wounds. Ivanko said today that during Wednesday's meeting between Zannier and Bogdanovic in Pristina the problems in Kosovo regarding the police and courts were discussed. It was agreed that there would be more meetings to discuss these topics, but no concrete dates were given, he said. “The date of the meeting [between Zannier and Bogdanovic] was not stated, but it will probably be in September, while August will be used to continue discussions on a technical level,” Ivanko said.

UNMIK wants re-opening of K. Mitrovica court

UNMIK spokesperson Alexander Ivanko told Beta news agency that UNMIK wants the court to be re-opened as soon as possible.

After Kosovo Albanians unilaterally declared independence on Feb. 17, Serbs judicial workers, previously driven out of their offices, re-entered the court building and demanded their jobs back.

Ethnic Albanian and international judges had previously worked in the court in northern Kosovska Mitrovica, which is predominantly populated by Serbs.

Deadly clashes erupted on March 17, when KFOR and UNMIK raided the court premises arresting Serb workers. Local Serbs reacted with riots that left some 200 people injured on both sides. One Ukrainian policeman from the ranks of UNMIK died of his wounds.

Ivanko said today that during Wednesday's meeting between Zannier and Bogdanović in Priština the problems in Kosovo regarding the police and courts were discussed.

It was agreed that there would be more meetings to discuss these topics, but no concrete dates were given, he said.

“The date of the meeting [between Zannier and Bogdanović] was not stated, but it will probably be in September, while August will be used to continue discussions on a technical level,” Ivanko said.