MPJD: Serbs seeking permission Thursday were rejected, those who returned today did not ask permission

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says on Thursday they have rejected the request of a group of 39 Serb pilgrims to come to Kosovo on June 12th and 13th. According to the MPJD, the group of Serbs who returned to Jarinje this morning has not asked permission from this ministry to enter Kosovo's territory. The same haven't asked permission from Kosovo police to visit Kosovo either.

Two buses with 83 travelers among them pilgrims and mountaineers are back today in Jarinje by Kosovo police.

But this group has asked permission to enter Kosovo said in a response to the Express by the MPJD.

According to the ministry on Thursday, they have rejected the request of another group of 39 pilgrims who have sought to enter Kosovo on June 12th and 13th.

“MPJD on Thursday has rejected a group of 39 pilgrims' request to come to Kosovo on June 12th-13th. Regarding today's groups, you must address the police. Permission for today's groups was not requested by MPJD”, said in response.

Bajram Krasniqi, spokesman for the Police General Directorate, said that Serb pilgrims and mountaineers who have tried to enter Kosovo today have asked for permission to visit.

Kosovo's “Police are the institution of law enforcement, decisions and agreements the country's institutions undertake (or undertaken). Police at Border Cross Point take actions that are in line with what was said the most. In the concrete case, relevant RKS institutions have rejected the request for visits”, Krasniqi said.

MPJD has asked Serbian citizens and officials to respect agreements and not provoke

Serbia's “citizens and officers, who want to come to Kosovo, are urged to respect rules and agreements and not provoke the situation with reckless actions”, the MPJD's response is said to be further.

Serbian-language portal Kossev reported that a document issued to the visitor group is reportedly with 83 passengers, and the reason for the ban to enter Kosovo is that no request for organised visits has been submitted.

One of Belgrade's Associations of Independent Students, Marko Jelic, in a statement to Kossev has said they have traditionally organised these visits to monasteries and monuments in Kosovo and they (Police) have been familiar with border procedures.

We've reached 3:00 in the morning. We were told to wait. At around 8am, a Kosovo policeman came and told us that we were denied entry into Kosovo territory because we submitted an announcement to enter. Then, they gave us a piece of paper that said we were rejected and we have five minutes to go back to Serbia”, he said.