North Mitrovica Mayor Goran Rakic said that the statement of the President of SANU Dr Vladimir Kostic, that "with elements of dignity should leave Kosovo and Metohija, because it is neither de facto nor de jure in the hands of Serbia", caused a major blow to the Serbian national interests in Kosovo.

Rakic said in a written statement to Tanjug that the question of Kosovo for Serbia has never been easy, but that so far none of the representatives of the government or the most important government and scientific institutions, has declared or proclaimed that we should leave Kosovo, our holy shrines which are now more than ever targeted by Albanians.

Rakic added that the statement of Mr Kostic was a terrible blow to the displaced who nonetheless consider returning to ancestral homes.

Mayor of North Mitrovica noted that the Serbian government was doing everything to normalize relations between the Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo.