"Serbia allocated calling code to Kosovo"

Source: B92

BELGRADE -- After yesterday's meeting in Brussels, Kosovo will get the calling code 383, said Aleksandar Vulin, adding that this number "is not given, but only allocated."

(B92)

The minister without portfolio in charge of Kosovo and Metohija who was in Brussels on Sunday when telecommunications and energy were discussed told B92 on Monday that the number "does not belong to Kosovo but to Serbia, but Serbia will give it to Kosovo to use."
He said that this number will operationally enter into service in 2015 "at the earliest."

He added that "even if in 2015 the international organization that deals with the determination of these numbers assigns Kosovo that number, the call price will always be local, that is, will be charged as local traffic since Serbia considers that this as part of our country."

This means, Vulin further said, that Telekom Srbija (Serbia) "can now legally operate in Kosovo, which means that the international community accepts that Telekom is a legal operator and will function with the current base stations until 2015 when a tender for the third mobile operator will be called to which Telekom is likely to apply."

"In terms of energy, the discussion about the property has been delayed for some other time when we have full agreement on property. Serbia has invested a tremendous amount of money after 1999 as well. Only from 2003 to date over USD 500 million has been invested only for a variety of installments and building of power plants Obilić A and B, which we do not use and control. But we are the legal successors, that is our country and we behave accordingly. And all of this will have to be included when property is discussed. After all, the community of Serb municipalities will be the successor of that," said Vulin.

All this requires a transitory period of at least 12 to 15 months, "and then we'll see what belongs to whom," according to this minister.

"The energy essence are Valač and Gazivode, and they remain in an unchanged mode. They will be as before, in communication with KEK, in terms of high-voltage and appropriate release of electricity. These are systems that operate in whole of Europe and no part can be a black hole that does not communicate with the other because that would cause chaos," said Vulin.

Asked whether he was satisfied with the agreement, Vulin said that it was "not a matter of satisfaction," and that he "would be satisfied if Serbian laws applied to the whole of Kosovo and Metohija."

Speaking about the local elections in Kosovo and the name of the single Serb list which containes the word "Serbia", Vulin said that Serbs "have a right to their own identity," and that the word is a problem for Priština.

He added that Priština was "afraid of everything that has the name Serbia." He said that there are lists now in Kosovo that have "Montenegro" in their name, but that "they are upset with 'Serbia'."

The international community, continued Vulin, "is one-sided in this sense, and understands the fears Priština, but not of Serbia, and is drawing our attention to it. However, if the name of the list is to be changed, the new name will surely have the word 'Serbia' in it," explained Vulin.

He also recalled that in elections held in southern Serbia there was a list named "Preševo Valley," although such geographical term does not exist - but the authorities allowed it "out of respect for Albanians living in the south."