Action of the Kosovo Police special forces in Gnjilane region, Serbs arrested (RTS, Blic, RTV Puls)
Serbian media this morning reports about the action of the special units of the Kosovo police in the Gnjilane region.
Media reports that Kosovo police raided the premises of the Cultural and Educational Center "Bozidar Mitrovic Sandor" in Silovo near Gnjilane. Radio television of Serbia (RTS) reports that three Serbs were detained in action.
Kosovo police spokesman Baki Kelani told RTS that in the action were arrested some people without specifying other details. He announced that there will be a statement issued soon about today's police action.
Serbian sources in the Gnjilane region reported that the head of the Kosovo-Pomoravlje district, Radovan Stojkovic and Director of the National Employment Service in Gnjilane, Jovan Denic, were detained in this morning's action, reports RTS.
RTS reports that Nenad Stojanovic (1974) was also detained, who is an auto mechanic employed by the Army of Serbia in Vranje.
RTV Puls based in Silovo reports, according to a police statement, that five people were arrested in the Gnilane region suspected of having acted against the constitutional order and security of Kosovo. The media reports that names were not mentioned.
Serbian media reported that Stojanovic was arrested because he allegedly pressed Serb members of the Kosovo Security Forces (KSF) to leave the service.
The action began early this morning when members of the special police blocked the houses of the district chiefs and the director of the employment service in Gornji Kusce and began a search, the witness told the RTS reporter.
RTV Puls also reported that this morning a search of several houses of former members of the Kosovo Security Forces (KSF) of Serb ethnicity who had recently left the service was carried out.
Journalists were prohibited from recording events, reports RTV Puls.
A source of Belgrade based daily Blic from Kosovo says that this is a retaliation for abandonment of the Kosovo Security Force of all Serb members from Gnjilane.
On this occasion, the director of the KiM Office, Marko Djuric, will hold a press conference today at noon, Blic reports.
Blic recalls that nearly thirty Serb members left the KSF last week, mostly from the Gnjilane area. Last week, Blic writes, eight members in one day left their KSF uniforms. Then, twenty of them by submitting collective resignations, i.e. breaking their contracts with KSF and requested demobilization.
RTV Puls from Silovo also reported that Kosovo Police denied in their statement the writing of some Serbian media claiming that an action was carried out against former members of the Kosovo Security Forces and assessed these as media speculations.