“Northern Kosovo cannot be integrated by force”

Source: Tanjug

ČAGLAVICA -- Kosovska Mitrovica District Head Radenko Nedeljković has stated that northern Kosovo cannot be "integrated" into the Kosovo institutions by force.

Radenko Nedeljković (Tanjug, file)

He added that only the Serbian institutions guaranteed the survival of Serbs in the northern part of the province.
Serbs are a majority there, and reject the authority of the Kosovo Albanian government in Priština.

“The Serbian community in the north does not want integration. We believe that integration means lower standard and loss of jobs and it was proven south of the Ibar River. The citizens cannot accept the loss of their identity,” Nedeljković stressed.

“We are asking for what belongs to us, to stay and survive here under sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia,” he explained.

He said that he did not expect Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić and the future government to make significant changes in their policy toward Kosovo.

“I expect the Serbian representatives both north and south of the Ibar River to be involved in the solving of problems because they know what is best for us,” the Kosovska Mitrovica District head explained.

Nedeljković pointed out that direct talks between the Serbs and Priština, that the international community insisted on, were not possible.

“An address for the talks when it comes to the north and the entire Kosovo is Belgrade. I believe that representatives of northern Kosovo Serbs should be in the delegation,” he noted.

Nedeljković said that Kosovo Interior Ministry’s regulation banning the use of the Serbian license plates would not be implemented in Kosovo.

“We have assurance from the Belgrade team chief that it does not apply to the north. He told us this several times at the official meetings,” he said and stressed that northern Kosovo Serbs had valid documents issued by the competent Serbian authorities and that they did not want the Kosovo documents.

Nedeljković also criticized KFOR and EULEX for unilateral actions and called on representatives of the international community to refrain from unilateral moves.