If arrests continue, Serbs might leave KiM institutions

ZUBIN POTOK – Representatives of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija (KiM) staged a protest rally in Zubin Potok in northern KiM Monday, and warned that they would consider the possibility of leaving Kosovo institutions if arrests of Serbs in the southern Serbian province continued.

They called on the international community and EULEX to “have the Serbs who are unjustly accused in detention immediately and unconditionally released pending trial,” or they would be forced to consider termination of cooperation with EULEX.
“If the campaign against the Serbs goes on, their legally elected representatives, mayors, presidents of municipal assemblies and assembly members will rethink their participation in all of Kosovo-Metohija’s institutions,” the Serb representatives said in a joint message.

The protest’s organizers cited new threats of unfounded arrests of Serbs as the reason for the protest, which they staged under the slogan “We are all the same, who of us is
next?”.

A EULEX prosecutor has summoned Zubin Potok Mayor Stevan Vulovic and former municipal president Slavisa Ristic for questioning, but the Kosovo police failed to hand out the summons to them because they were not at home to receive them.

Speaking at the rally, Leposavic Mayor Dragan Jablanovic expressed the belief that the goal behind the announcements of new arrests was intimidation of people in northern Kosovo and stressed that such moves were frustrating efforts aimed at stabilizing the situation.

He urged all concerned parties to restrain themselves, calling on the international community to prevent any steps that could lead to disruption of stability and urged the public to remain in unity.

Milan Ivanovic, president of...