Belgrade based daily Vecernje Novosti reports that a comprehensive legally binding agreement between Belgrade and Pristina should cover all outstanding issues in line with international law and EU acquis and contribute to regional stability.
KFOR Commander Major General Lorenzo D’Addario in an interview to Radio kontakt plus said he is worried over rhetoric used in Kosovo, warning that one sentence could be a sparkle to create bigger problems.
He termed the situation in Kosovo as peaceful, adding he sees not a single intention to cause incidents.
Civic Initiative Freedom, Democracy, Justice (GI SDP) condemned yesterday as irresponsible and dangerous the statement of Mitrovica South mayor Agim Bahtiri “there would be war” if Mitrovica is “touched upon,” Danas daily reports.
“Northern part of Mitrovica, populated by majority Serb population has its own elected municipal assembly that should have a say and make decisions advocating for the interests of Serbian and Albanian citizens living in the northern Mitrovica, and it should be respected by everybody,” GI SDP said in a written statement.
Chairperson of the Serbian Government Commission for Missing Persons, Veljko Odalovic said today the message of Mitrovica South mayor Agim Bahtira “that a war would occur” if Mitrovica is “touched upon” in an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, is yet another provocative statement whose aim is to cause disturbance among the Serbian population.
“This provocation is unserious and unattainable,” Odalovic told journalists following a presentation of a book “War Crimes against Serbs in Croatia 1991-1995” and “War Crimes against Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija 1998-2004.”
Srpska Lista (SL) said Agim Bahtiri should know that the Serbian people in the north of Kosovo and Metohija are not afraid by his political performances, while his petition on “unification” of Mitrovica he can use “for hygienic purposes only,” Serbian public broadcaster RTS reports.
SL added that Bahtiri “instead of presenting “mad ideas” and increasing inter-ethnic distance should rather deal with usurped Serb apartments and demolished Serb cemeteries in areas under his administrative authority.”
Terraces and businesses along the pedestrian zone in northern part of Mitrovica were decorated with Serbian flags on Thursday evening, reports Belgrade based news agency Tanjug. This morning Tanjug correspondent from Mitrovica reports on KFOR vehicles deployment on the Ibar bridge.
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Italian FM Angelino Alfano and OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger have called on Belgrade and Pristina to return to dialogue.
"In light of the March 26 events in northern Kosovo and subsequent developments, the OSCE chairmanship-in-office and the OSCE secretary general call on all sides to refrain from provocations and reengage in constructive dialogue," Alfano and Greminger are quoted as stating in a press release.
The Department of Serious Crimes of the Basic Prosecutor's Office in Mitrovica expressed readiness to provide information to the Belgrade Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime regarding the murder of Oliver Ivanovic, reports Radio Television of Serbia (RTS).
Six people, three Serbs and three Albanians have been arrested in the Mitrovica region, and are suspected of committing a criminal offense of "prostitution," the Kosovo police states.
The police operation was conducted in three different locations in the Mitrovica region, where the arrested persons were suspected of involvement in illegal activities, commencing a crime of dealing with ''prostitution", the statement says.
Mitrovica Mayor, Agim Bahtiri, has commended the efforts of Albanian and Serb firefighters in putting out wildfires that broke out in the region of Mitrovica over the weekend. He said cooperation between Serb and Albanian firefighters should serve as an example of how municipalities can work together and serve their residents, regardless of ethnic background.