IM: Serbia must respond reciprocally

Source: Beta, Tanjug

BANJA LUKA -- Serbia’s Interior Minister and Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) leader Ivica Dačić believes Serbia must firmly respond to attacks on Serbs in northern Kosovo.

Ivica Dačić (Beta)

“We must respond reciprocally. Such are relations in the international community. And those talking about it should pay attention to what kind of reciprocity it is. If someone thinks that they can attack Serbs in northern Kosovo without punishment, then Serbia has no state policy,” he told reporters in Banja Luka.
Dačić met with Republic of Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik in Banja Luka on Saturday.

He also said that Serbia had no clear policy when it came to Kosovo.

“It is very important for Serbia to have clear position on all issues, including the issue of Kosovo and Metohija and of course on other issues, on the RS. We should have clear positions, to know what those positions are and to defend them and be determined to implement them,” Dačić explained.

Stressing that Serbia had none of those positions, he said that “the situation is therefore going in the wrong direction every time”.

“I advocate urgent solving of the Kosovo and Metohija issue because it is a devastating sore spot in this part of the Balkans and because a just solution can put an end to the centuries-long conflicts,” Dačić noted.

He once again repeated that he was in favor of demarcation in Kosovo but that this was not the state policy.

“They do not agree with it in Serbia. I just do not know what they do agree with because they are not doing anything. It is not the state’s policy to support the northern Kosovo Serbs but it is the state’s policy to defend our sovereignty in Kosovo. How should we defend it then?,” Dačić said.

Northern Kosovo Serbs clashed with KFOR troops on Friday, after soldiers started removing barricades from roads in the north.