Serbs in Kosovo institutions "played important role"

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Serbs in Kosovo institutions "played important role"

BELGRADE -- Marko Djuric believes that the role of the Serbs participating in the Kosovo institutions was "important" when it comes to the Trepca case.

"Undoubtedly, it was announced on Friday that the Combinate (corporation) Trepca would be confiscated today, and undoubtedly, that did not happen today," the head of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija told B92 late on Monday, and added:

"We reacted intensively by diplomatic means and consulted with the international community, whose role is very important, as is the role of the Serbs in the Kosovo institutions. If there weren't for the Serb deputies and ministers, they would've done this without batting an eye."

Djuric also stressed that during Monday, the Kosovo assembly would adopt changes and amendments to a law on companies of special interest "that places a moratorium on property reforms."

He also described Pristina's moves around the mining complex as "an unpleasant surprise."

"There was no sequence of events that led to it. Somebody decided to abuse their position ahead of the start of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue," Djuric said, and added that "attempts of this kind will happen in the future."

However, he noted, Trepca's debt toward the Republic of Serbia and all the company's debts "only increase the stake that Serbia has in it."

"Privatization was mentioned here only as protective mechanism, and we did not launch it, because there must be an agreement in place. In the southern part of Trepca, controlled by Albanians, there are no Serbs, while the northern Trepca is multi-ethnic and a liquid company that feeds over 3,000 miners and their families," Djuric stressed.

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