Municipality Prilužje, a new trigger for the Kosovo opposition protests (RTS)
Supporters of Kosovo's opposition gathered for a new protest, in Vucitrn / Vushtrri, against the formation of Prilužje municipality, which should encompass Plemetina, Babin Most, Grace, Crkvena Vodica and Janina Voda, Serbian villages in Obilic municipality. While Serbian representatives have not yet formally submitted a request to the government for the formation of a new municipality, the Albanian opposition claims that this would be a means for Beograd to control the excavation of the coal around existing power plants. Visar Imeri from the Albanian "Self-determination" movement said that the protest was a continuation of others, which show that citizens neither want nor will let their property be controlled by Serbia.
The new Serbian municipality in Kosovo is a necessity and proves that Serbs haven't exercised their institutional and collective rights, stated Serbian officials. Among certain circles in Pristina, the opinion can be heard that the Albanian majority should use the Serbs' demand to form a new municipality to obtain their consent for the formation of a Kosovo army. Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Branimir Stojanovic said that Serbian MPs have never functioned like this or accepted this kind of blackmail or pressure. Serbs in Kosovo are a majority in 10 out of 38 municipalities. Over five thousand Serbs live in Priluzje and surrounding villages, which is enough to form a municipality, as prescribed by the Ahtisaari plan.