United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo

BRUSSELS - NATO supports the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) in its present format, which does not envisage its use as a combat unit; it was stated at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - Zarko Veselinovic, one of the four Serb detainees in Kosovo-Metohija, has been put under house arrest, attorney Dejan A. Vasic, a member of his defense team, said on Friday.

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - The pre-trial judge of the Basic Court in Kosovska Mitrovica ordered on Thursday extension of detention on remand for the leader of the Citizens' Initiative 'Freedom, Democracy, Justice' (GI SDP) Oliver Ivanovic, EULEX released.

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - The EULEX prosecutor wants the detention for leader of the Citizens' Initiative 'Freedom, Democracy, Justice' (GD SDP) Oliver Ivanovic to be extended and the decision on the potential detention extension has to be adopted by midnight on Thursday.

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - Newly elected Mayor of Kosovska Mitrovica Goran Rakic requested on Tuesday from international representatives in Kosovo that all persons from Kosovska Mitrovica kept in custody without reason be released pending their trials.

STRPCE - Serbia's Minister Without Portfolio in charge of Kosovo Aleksandar Vulin said in Strpce on Tuesday that the planned parliamentary election in Kosovo could slow down the creation of the community of Serb municipalities (ZSO).

EULEX chief: There is no "5,000 names list"

PRIŠTINA -- EULEX chief Berndt Borchardt Judge has denied claims about existence of a list of 5,000 names of Serbs to be arrested in Kosovo.

The head of the EU mission in Kosovo added that a judge will decide if guarantees the Serbian government gave are sufficient to release four Serbs currently in detention there.

PRISTINA - EULEX Head Berndt Borchardt Judge denied allegations about existence of a list of 5,000 names of Serbs to be arrested in Kosovo-Metohija (KiM), adding that a judge will decide if guarantees the Serbian government gave are sufficient to release four Serbs currently in detention in Kosovo-Metohija (KiM).

OSCE: Elections conducted successfully

PRIŠTINA -- The OSCE in Kosovo has expressed satisfaction that the repeat mayoral elections in northern Kosovska Mitrovica they facilitated were carried out successfully.

Serbia's Electoral Commisssion, RIK, told BIRN that early parliamentary elections due on March 16 will be organized also in the former province of Kosovo.

"There will be three members of the committee at each polling station in Kosovo and ballots will be taken for counting at voting centres in Vranje and Raska [in Serbia]," the RIK said.