Northern Serb mayors on yesterday’s police action (TV Most, B92)
Serb representatives from the north and Office for Kosovo and Metohija, in a special TV Most broadcast last night, said the latest brutal Pristina’s action will not expel the Serbs from Kosovo, B92 reports.
Mayor of Mitrovica North Goran Rakic said that “in addition to the terror conducted by the Albanians, shooting in the back by some Serbian opposition leaders is painful.” He added Pristina’s response to any call for peace from Belgrade is “a brutal action and terror against barehanded population.”
He also urged residents of the four northern municipalities to take part in today’s protest as massive as possible and send a message they are not afraid, and they shall not leave from here.
Office for Kosovo and Metohija Deputy Director Damjan Jovic said Pristina by using violence wants to intimidate the Serbs. He noted it is better to sit at the table and make an agreement.
Mayor of Zubin Potok Srdjan Vulovic said the situation in his municipality was like a war zone. “We have defended ourselves, and by placing barricades we wanted to show we do not want to be arrested and beaten up. We need peace and co-existence with Albanians, and such actions do not lead towards it.” He also noted arrested Serbs from Zubin Potok have no links with criminal activities they are accused of.
Kosovo Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Milan Radojevic said “he cannot find justification for such an action, despite of it being carried under the veil of fight against corruption.”
“If there was suspicion somebody has committed some sort of criminal offense, why it had to be done by sending 70 armored vehicles,” Radojevic said.
Mayor of Leposavic, Zoran Todic noted seven members of border police service, three women and four men, were arrested in this municipality. He noted the police action did not aim to fight corruption, but rather to intimidate and expel the Serbs from Kosovo.
Mayor of Zvecan, Vucina Jankovic opined Pristina with this action wanted to show to the Serbs living in Kosovo, but also to Belgrade that the Serbian people are not welcome here. He urged the international forces, in particular EULEX and KFOR to protect the Serbian people, since this is, as he said, their main mission and task.