Mustafa Calls Serbia's Role in Kosovo 'Destructive'

The ethnic Serbian party in Kosovo's coalition government, Srpska Lista, on Wednesday stated that following a request from Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, it would again freeze its participation in Kosovo institutions.

The party also said that Mirjana Jevtic, who last week replaced Ljubomir Maric as Minister for Local Government, will resign from her post.

"Aleksandar Vucic is the head of our government and his authority for us, as well as for all Serbs in Kosovo, is undisputed," Srpska Lista wrote in a statement.

Isa Mustafa, Kosovo's Prime Minister, sacked Maric on December 16, after he accompanied Marko Djuric, the head of Serbian government's Kosovo office, on a visit to Kosovo that was not approved by the Pristina authorities.

Instead of Maric, a member of Serbia's ruling Progressive Party, Mustafa appointed Jevtic from the Socialist Movement.

The move caused disturbance among Kosovo Serb politicians, who - although originally from different parties - entered the Kosovo parliament together after forming an election coalition, Srpska Lista.

Srpska Lista has been boycotting Kosovo institutions since October when the Kosovo parliament approved a law on the Trepca mining complex. Last week a few Serb MPs returned to attend a parliament session, but only briefly.

Following Jevtic's appointment, after Vucic held a meeting with Kosovo Serbs on December 26, he issued an ultimatum demanding that the government restore Maric to office and remove the new appointee, Jetvic.

The Kosovo Prime Minister responded to the announcement stating that his decision to dismiss Maric was definitive.

"Maric is dismissed and his dismissal is permanent for this mandate and we will not regret it because he did not deserve to...