Minister for Communities and Returns in the Kosovo government Dalibor Jevtic said that in Kosovo in 2015 returned 704 displaced persons, out of which 340 persons of Serbian nationality. He said that in 2016 the Ministry of Communities and Returns will have a budget of EUR 6.4 million and that about 20,000 displaced persons have expressed a desire to return to Kosovo. In an interview with TV "Herc" from Strpce, Jevtic said that in the course of this year were registered 79 incidents including ten attacks on facilities of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Court proceeding against leader of the Citizens’ Initiative “SDP” Oliver Ivanovic and another four Serbs is coming to an end. On January 18, the lawyers of the accused Serbs should give the final word. As stated, EULEX judges will decide on the verdict on 19 and 20 January, and day later the verdict should be announced. Ivanovic said that two days for making decision on the verdict are brief interval, considering the documents submitted to the court, but he added that judges probably have limitations related to the deadlines.
Director of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo Marko Djuric said in Gracanica that 2016 will be a good year that will be manifested by the cooperation between Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo. "We will do our best in order to create positive atmosphere. We will give a hand to all people, political entities and the general public with the aim to bring closer the Serbs and Albanians.
Marko Djuric says that Belgrade is demanding the full implementation of the Brussels agreements reached in talks with Pristina.
"We expect and demand full implementation of the Brussels agreements, we demand from the international community the full implementation of these agreements. Nobody asked us when that constitution (of Kosovo) was passed. We ask that the agreements are fully respected," Marko Djuric told RTS.
North Mitrovica Mayor Goran Rakic condemned the bomb attack that happened this morning in Mitrovica. He stressed that acts of violence are unacceptable and that as such deserves the harshest condemnation. "Those who are behind this attack want to destabilize situation in the city. I hope that the police will make necessary efforts, in order to find people responsible for this attack, "said Rakic.
- By calling to demonstrations, they are only burying deeper into the catastrophic internal and international position - says Ivica Dacic, the Head of the Serbian diplomacy. The Government of Serbia told Danas unofficially that "they do not believe" that another round of the Brussels negotiations will be held until the New Year holidays.
British Ambassador to Belgrade Dennis Keefe said today that nothing is hidden in the negotiation Chapter 35, which refers to Kosovo, adding that all EU members including his country and the European Commission are working on the same goal - the successful completion of negotiations for membership in the EU.
Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic told Politika that Chapter 35 in the negotiations with the European Union (EU) is not a substitute for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, which will continue to take place in Brussels through mediation of Federica Mogherini. Therefore, he does not expect any traps through negotiations on the EU accession, when it comes to Kosovo.
The Serbian government will probably not agree to establish the Company for the supply of electricity in north, owned by the Electric Power Industry of Serbia (EPS), in line with the laws of Kosovo, said the director of Electric Power Industry of Serbia, Nikola Petrovic.