Whose trucks were used for barricades in the north?

Amid heavy machinery, with which Serbs in northern Kosovo erected barricades and blocked nearly all roads leading to border crossings with Serbia, Jarinje and Brnjak, according to Radio Free Europe research, there were almost identical vehicles with those used by Serbian municipal services in northern Kosovo municipalities.

These services, such as Public Company “Standard” from Northern Mitrovica is under the control of the Serbian List, the leading party of Serbs in Kosovo that is close to Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) of Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq.

With July 31st and August 1st, Radio Free Europe cameras have also recorded the presence of company employees “Standard”, who were in labor uniforms at the barricades.

The director of this company is Goran Rakiq, chairman of the Serbian List, who is also minister for the Communists and Kthim at Prime Minister Albin Kurti's Kosovo Government.

Free Europe Radio has tried to contact Rakiqiqi, but he has not responded. REL has also turned to Aleksandar Trajkoviki, whom local media present as “leader” of the company “Standard” The question of what the workers and trucks of that company were doing at the barricades has been answered: “You should ask the company's director that question, I really can't answer that question about you”

He has said it is “alone the economic sector manager”.

On Official page Company “Standard” says this company is in charge of “for conducting municipal activities on Mitrovica municipality territory”.

Free Europe Radio has also attempted to contact Aleksandar Spiric, the head of the Serb parallel municipality in northern Mitrovica, concerning the presence of Serb municipal services trucks at the barricades, but he has not responded.

In addition to Serbia's parallel municipalities in Kosovo, which Kosovo authorities consider illegal institutions, there are Serb majority municipalities working according to Kosovo laws, but in which Serbian List officials are also in leadership positions.

For example, Zoran Todiq is chairman of the Leposaviqi municipality that operates according to the Kosovo system, but he also runs the Serb parallel municipality.

Masked drivers and license trucks at barricades
Many of the trucks at the barricades were unsigned, some even without plates.
However, a tank truck that can be seen in the images of Radio Free Europe in Rudare has had Belgrade plates. The side also looks like a yellow tape. /Complete text: REL/ News photo: Arben Hoti/