Protests continue in K. Mitrovica, Gračanica

Kosovo Serbs continued with their protests today in the north of the province and in the enclave of Gracanica. Serb judicial workers in Kosovska Mitrovica, who demand to return to their offices, gathered once again in front of the local courthouse. Protests continue in K. Mitrovica, Gracanica Their arrest last week by UNMIK and KFOR troops sparked riots that killed one Ukrainian policeman, and seriously injured one Kosovo Serb, wounding over 130 people on both sides. The arrested workers were released the same day without any charges pressed against them. Today, Ljiljana Stevanovic, a Pristina judge relocated to Kosovska Mitrovica in 1999, said her colleagues will continue with daily protest until their demands are met. The Serb judicial workers in the past nine years, since they were driven out of their building with the arrival of international forces in the province, have felt "humiliated and ashamed" without their working space, she told the gathering. The only demand they have now, Stevanovic continued, is to return to their offices and to apply Serbian laws. "Serbia is no longer what it was. Serbia is now a democracy, and the world must realize this. There is not a single reason for Serbian laws not to be implemented here, considering that the majority of the population is Serb," Stevanovic said, adding that "all our laws are harmonized with international standards". No incidents were reported from the protests, while the courthouse continues to be surrounded by KFOR soldiers. Also in Kosovska Mitrovica today, local students resumed their protest, rejecting Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence. South of the Ibar River, which divides the town, in the Serb enclave of Gracanica, around one thousand Serbs continued with their daily protests. This Wednesday, those gathered voiced their support for the Serb members of the Kosovo police, KPS, who had left their posts after the unilateral declaration. On behalf of the inhabitants of central Kosovo, Sinisa Djordjevic reiterated the demand of the policemen who wish to return to work, but under UNMIK's command, instead of the Pristina-based KPS headquarters. "We are now being warned that as of April 1 they will no longer allow vehicles with Serbia's number plates in the streets," Djordjevic informed the crowd. He warned that this would prevent Serbs to move from one village to another, and that people will be confined even more to this "tragic ghetto". The Serb enclaves in the province, which have often come under ethnically-motivated attacks from the province's Albanians, are guarded by international forces. Representatives of the Crisis Headquarters in Gracanica demanded to meet with UNMIK Chief Joachim Ruecker. They will ask that Albanian policemen leave the police station in Gracanica, and other stations in Serb-populated areas "as soon as possible", and to be replaced by UNMIK officers. A scene from the students' protest in Kosovska Mitrovica today (Tanjug)

Protests continue in K. Mitrovica, Gračanica

Their arrest last week by UNMIK and KFOR troops sparked riots that killed one Ukrainian policeman, and seriously injured one Kosovo Serb, wounding over 130 people on both sides.

The arrested workers were released the same day without any charges pressed against them.

Today, Ljiljana Stevanović, a Priština judge relocated to Kosovska Mitrovica in 1999, said her colleagues will continue with daily protest until their demands are met.

The Serb judicial workers in the past nine years, since they were driven out of their building with the arrival of international forces in the province, have felt "humiliated and ashamed" without their working space, she told the gathering.

The only demand they have now, Stevanović continued, is to return to their offices and to apply Serbian laws.

"Serbia is no longer what it was. Serbia is now a democracy, and the world must realize this. There is not a single reason for Serbian laws not to be implemented here, considering that the majority of the population is Serb," Stevanović said, adding that "all our laws are harmonized with international standards".

No incidents were reported from the protests, while the courthouse continues to be surrounded by KFOR soldiers.

Also in Kosovska Mitrovica today, local students resumed their protest, rejecting Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence.

South of the Ibar River, which divides the town, in the Serb enclave of Gračanica, around one thousand Serbs continued with their daily protests.

This Wednesday, those gathered voiced their support for the Serb members of the Kosovo police, KPS, who had left their posts after the unilateral declaration.

On behalf of the inhabitants of central Kosovo, Siniša Đorđević reiterated the demand of the policemen who wish to return to work, but under UNMIK's command, instead of the Priština-based KPS headquarters.

"We are now being warned that as of April 1 they will no longer allow vehicles with Serbia's number plates in the streets," Đorđević informed the crowd.

He warned that this would prevent Serbs to move from one village to another, and that people will be confined even more to this "tragic ghetto".

The Serb enclaves in the province, which have often come under ethnically-motivated attacks from the province's Albanians, are guarded by international forces.

Representatives of the Crisis Headquarters in Gračanica demanded to meet with UNMIK Chief Joachim Ruecker. They will ask that Albanian policemen leave the police station in Gračanica, and other stations in Serb-populated areas "as soon as possible", and to be replaced by UNMIK officers.