Serbian List Meets With Vucinqi in Belgrade

Representatives of the Serbian List ) the largest party of Serbs in Kosovo said after the meeting they went to Belgrade to inform Vuciqiqi about the extremely difficult “situation” not only in the north, but also south of the Iber River.

Vuciq himself had warned that he would meet with representatives of Serbs from Kosovo from 9 June to 12 June.

Serbian List Chairman Goran Rakic said he brought with him videos that, according to him, clearly showed the arrest of Rados Petrovic and Dusan Obrenovic. Rakic said these two persons, who were arrested by authorities in Kosovo, have not threatened anyone, apart from the soldiers of the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR.

He also reiterated the demands the US envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, and the European for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, that the Association of Major Serb municipalities in Kosovo must be approved as soon as possible, as well as the statute for Association must be approved by Belgrade, Pristina and the EU, because the European bloc is guarantor and signatories of the agreement.

Meanwhile, the Serbian List's third request, according to Rakiq, is the withdrawal of Kosovo Police Special Units from municipal buildings in northern Kosovo.

Meanwhile, the former head of the Zvecan municipality, Dragisa Milovovic, said they are in favour of extending the situation, of a peaceful solution and reaching compromises, but, according to him, informed Vuciqina that local Serbs in Kosovo are continuing the protests.

We informed the president that we are continuing peaceful and democratic protests. Today is the 17th Day of Protests. Our citizens are staying 24 hours a day to fight for their legitimate, legal and fundamental human rights”, Milovic said.

As of May 26th, tensions have been mounting in municipalities in northern Kosovo, as the young Albanian mayors of Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposaviqi enter municipal buildings with police assistance, despite local Serbs' opposition.

On May 29th, tensions culminated in clashes between protesters and KFOR soldiers in Zvecan. Tens were hurt by both sides.

The US and the EU have submitted three requests to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, regarding the situation in the north: calming the situation in northern municipalities, holding new elections in four municipalities in the north, and returning to dialogue for normalisation of Kosovo-Serbia reports, mediated by the European bloc.

Kurti, meanwhile, has said it has offered a “sustainable and secure exit” from the crisis in the north. He has said the “criminal groups” -- which, according to him, are supported by Belgrade and are organising protests in the north -- must face justice or return to Serbia. Also, he has said he is open to organise new elections in the north, but initially the riots must cease, and then Kosovo will reduce police presence in municipal buildings.

So, if new elections, early elections, but after the rule of the law, and after preparing ground”, Kurti declared on June 7th.

The same day, Escobar has declared that Vuciq has assured Washington that he will use his influence to convince the Serb community in northern Kosovo to participate in the eventual elections.

The new Albanian mayors of municipalities in the north, inhabited by Serb majority, were elected in the April 23rd elections. The votes were boycotted by Serbian parties and local Serb populations.