KLINA - Director of the Serbian government's Office for Kosovo-Metohija (KiM) Marko Djuric said Monday that he expects the officials of ethnic Albanian political parties in Kosovo to provide support and protection to Serbs in the region of Metohija.
DECANI - Director of the Serbian government’s Office for Kosovo-Metohija Marko Djuric and Visoki Decani Monastery abbot Sava Janjic Monday expressed gratitude to the KFOR commander, Italian Major General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo for sending soldiers to increase the security around the monastery after its facilities and gates had been sprayed with threatening graffiti celebrating the Islamic State and calling for the creation of a Worldwide Caliphate.
A special task force, formed as part of the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo, has been investigating for 14 months now the corruption allegations concerning the EULEX top tier, reads the Belgrade-based daily Blic on Monday.
According to the daily, one of the contentious cases is related to the sale of the Serb property in KiM.
“The case was led by an American prosecutor who left the mission in protest, because Albanian judges who verified the documents and were involved in corruption were cleared of any responsibility and guilt thanks to EULEX's assistance,” reads Blic.
Eulex had suspended one of its staff members before media reports of alleged corruption among the mission's top officials were published, and it is a separate case, unrelated to a suspected disclosure of information, says Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson of EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.
BELGRADE - The upcoming meeting of the European branch of the Trilateral Commission, set to open in Belgrade on Friday, will bring together participants from all European countries, who will discuss the progress of the entire region on the path towards EU accession, says Tahir Hasanovic, president of the organising committee of the European Trilateral Conference in Belgrade.
BELGRADE - Director of the Serbian government’s Office for Kosovo-Metohija (KiM) Marko Djuric called Thursday for an urgent revision of EULEX activities in Kosovo-Metohija and also for judicial authorities to investigate allegations made by Belgrade-based daily Politika, which had accused a prosecutor of that mission of falsifying evidence in the case against the leader of the Citizens' Initiative ‘Freedom, Democracy, Justice’ (GI SDP).
BELGRADE - Dignitaries of the main religious communities in Kosovo condemned the recent acts of vandalism in the Decani Monastery.
They agreed that these despicable acts, followed also by some web attacks, were sought to undermine the inviolable principles of tolerance and reconciliation in Kosovo society.
Government Office for Kosovo Director Marko Đurić and Finnish Ambassador Pekka Orpana agreed Wednesday the Belgrade-Priština dialogue "needs to continue"
It should "facilitate the normalization of relations and help improve the quality of life of the citizens in Kosovo and Metohija," the office said in a statement.
Italian Ambassador to Serbia Giuzeppe Manzo said that Italy is ready to assist Serbia in opening the first negotiation chapter with the EU in December.
"Italy, as a country presiding over the Council of the EU, stands ready to help Serbia open the first chapter in the talks with the EU. It is on Italy's agenda and it is the issue that will be put on the table,” said Manzo during the debate on the role of the presiding over the Council of EU held at the EU stand at Belgrade Book Fair.
BELGRADE - Serbian Defense Minister Bratislav Gasic said Tuesday that ratifying the UN Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which the Serbian parliament was discussing today, would contribute to Serbia’s fulfillment of international obligations.
“Serbia is among the bigger exporters of defense industry products, and the signing and ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty for Serbia means that it will continue to strengthen its overall administrative and other capacities in this area,” Gasic said in the parliament.