MP in the Assembly of Serbia, Fatmir Hasani, from the Democratic Action Party, that is running the Bujanovac municipality, believes the vast majority of Albanians in the south of Serbia would support exchange of territories with Kosovo, Serbian media reported.
However, Deputy Mayor of Bujanovac municipality, Stojanca Arsic rejected such possibility as a bad and impossible option.
President of the Coordination Body of the Serbian Government for Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa Zoran Stanković states that that there is no parallel between solving the problem of the Serbs in Kosovo and local self-governments in the south of Serbia where Albanians live.
Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa met yesterday in Gnjilane/Gjilan with representatives of Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa and MP in the Serbian Parliament Fatmir Hasani, reads the statement from the office of Prime Minister.
Political representatives of Albanians from southern central Serbia have demanded that the Kosovo authorities involve them in the dialogue with Belgrade in Brussels. They seek the same rights as Kosovo Serbs, reported media in Pristina.
President of the National Council of Albanians from the Presevo Valley, Jonuz Musliu together with the heads of the municipalities of Presevo and Bujanovac in Pristina yesterday demanded a mutual solution to the issue of the status of Albanians in the Presevo Valley.
Adriatik Kelmendi considers that the idea for the creation of the Association of the municipalities with Albanian majority in the territory that to majority of Albanians represents Eastern Kosovo while to Serbs southern Serbia, seems to be a delayed one, however it is imposed as a necessity. According to him, reciprocity for Presevo Valley should have been the initial strategy of Albanians as a response to the request for autonomy for Serbs within Kosovo.
The Russian news agency Sputnik reports that establishment of the Association of Municipalities with Serb majority in Kosovo, could open way to the territorial autonomy for Albanian municipalities in southern Serbia.
The Albanian National Council in the Preshevo Valley has reacted following the signing of the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia on the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities last night in Brussels. The Council expressed deep indignation over the position of the Albanian community in Preshevo Valley and calls for concrete and coordinated actions in addressing issues that are vital to Albanians living in the area.
• Opposition to use protests and political actions against special court (Koha)
• Zbogar: Economic development, crucial for Kosovo (dailies)
• Nishani: Albanians are existential factor in Macedonia (Koha)
• Selimi calls for support for Kosovo’s UNESCO membership (Zeri)
• Special war in Presevo Valley (Zeri)
The leaders and residents of the three Albanian municipalities in southern Serbia have reacted against the visit to the region by Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic who was wearing a military uniform. The Albanian leaders told Preseva Jone news site that Nikolic’s appearance in a military uniform was a scandal, a provocation and a threat against the civilian population.