Independence of Kosovo

Ivanović still on hunger strike, his health deteriorates

PRIŠTINA -- The health of Oliver Ivanović, the detained Serb politician from northern Kosovo, who earlier this week began a hunger strike, "has worsened."

This is according to his wife Milena Popović-Ivanović, who spoke late on Thursday.

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - The health condition of Oliver Ivanovic, the detained leader of Citizens' Initiative Serbia, Democracy, Justice who is on a hunger strike, has worsened, his wife Milena Popovic Ivanovic said on Thursday.

"Kosovo armed forces unacceptable to Serbia"

BELGRADE -- The Serbian government expressed its "concern over the decision by the provisional authorities in Kosovo to form Kosovo armed forces and a defense ministry."

BELGRADE - The Serbian government expressed on Thursday concern over the decision by the provisional authorities in Kosovo to form Kosovo armed forces and a defence ministry, stressing that only the international forces under KFOR have the mandate to cover all the military and security aspects in Kosovo.

BELGRADE - The Football Association of Serbia (FSS) has sent a letter of protest to Sepp Blatter, president of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), urging the organization to revoke the decision that allowed Kosovo-Metohija to play friendly matches.

ZVECAN - The members of the four municipal assemblies in northern Kosovo-Metohija on Thursday voiced concern over the announced plans of the Pristina authorities to form a Kosovo army.

"We see this as an act of open threat to security in the region and the safety of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija", North Mitrovica mayor Goran Rakic said at the assemblies' joint session in Zvecan.

The Serbian government said it is putting pressure on the international community to allow Kosovo Serbs arrested for alleged war crimes to be released ahead of their court cases.

BELGRADE - The Serbian government will call for a UN Security Council session over the announcement of formation of the armed forces of Kosovo and deterioration of the security and political situation in Kosovo-Metohija, Aleksandar Vulin, Serbian minister without portfolio in charge of Kosovo-Metohija, said on Thursday.

Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said the planned establishment of a Kosovo army by 2019 was not part of the Brussels agreement on the normalization of relations, which Serbia and Kosovo signed under EU auspices last April.

BELGRADE - The Serbian government's Office for Kosovo-Metohija (KiM) condemned in the harshest terms the burning of the flag of the Republic of Serbia in Kosovska Mitrovica ahead of the start of a football match between Pristina and Haiti.