Serbs threaten to "leave institutions" over arrests

Serbs threaten to "leave institutions" over arrests

ZUBIN POTOK -- Serbs representatives in Kosovo held a protest rally in Zubin Potok on Monday, and warned they would "consider the possibility of leaving Kosovo institutions."

According to the speakers at the rally quoted by Tanjug, this would happen 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’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 summoned Zubin Potok Mayor Stevan Vulović and former municipal president Slaviša Ristić 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, Leposavić Mayor Dragan Jablanović 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...