Q:
A:
Majority of Serbs in province do not accept fictitious state of Kosovo
Ugljare,
25 February 2008
Serbian Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Slobodan Samardzic stated today that he told UN Secretary General’s Special Representative Joachim Ruecker that the majority of Serbs in the province, almost 100% of them, do not accept the fictitious independent state of Kosovo.
Slobodan Samardzic, right, speaks with Serbs in Novi Badovac
Author:
Fonet
Samardzic said after meeting with Ruecker today that he condemns violence of any kind, but primarily violence that has already been shown towards international law.
The Minister requested Ruecker to maintain peace and stability in the province at all costs.
We are ready to take responsibility for maintaining order and stability in Serbian communities and to closely cooperate with UNMIK and KFOR, the Minister stressed noting that the Serbian government is trying to persuade Serbs to continue to cooperate with UNMIK as Serbia recognises this mission.
He also noted that the situation in Kosovo-Metohija has considerably changed because UNMIK no longer operates in the larger part of Kosovo-Metohija’s territory which is now controlled by Albanians.
The Minister said that he asked UNMIK to tell the authorities in Pristina that they have broken international law and said he thinks UNMIK is not doing the same.
Samardzic warned Ruecker that Serbs in Kosovo must have equal living conditions like any other Serbian citizen, noting that it is difficult to establish normal life in this chaotic situation, but added that the state will do everything to carry out its duties.
He said that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 is not being applied, but added that UNMIK and KFOR need to continue to perform their mission and stressed that the local Albanians, by proclaiming the fictitious state of Kosovo, committed the violence
Samardzic arrived in Kosovo-Metohija earlier in the day and before meeting with Ruecker, visited Novi Badovac near Pristina, where 70 houses and 20 flats are being built for internally displaced persons.
After meeting with Ruecker, the Minister spoke with villagers from Ugljare near Kosovo Polje. He also visited Serbs in Priluzje and Kosovska Mitrovica, where he said that there is no legal basis for the deployment of an EU mission in the southern Serbian province, but that Serbian authorities will continue to cooperate with UNMIK.
Samardzic said that today’s talks with Ruecker were constructive, even though there was disagreement concerning certain points.
He stressed that Serbia will continue to implement its authority in the province where it is possible to do so, under the circumstances created by the violation of international law by the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo-Metohija.
The Minister said that today he visited six Serb enclaves in Kosovo-Metohija and talked with representatives of Serbs living there about ways of helping them.
Samardzic also talked to the municipal presidents of Zubin Potok and Zvecan in the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica.
The Minister requested Ruecker to maintain peace and stability in the province at all costs.
We are ready to take responsibility for maintaining order and stability in Serbian communities and to closely cooperate with UNMIK and KFOR, the Minister stressed noting that the Serbian government is trying to persuade Serbs to continue to cooperate with UNMIK as Serbia recognises this mission.
He also noted that the situation in Kosovo-Metohija has considerably changed because UNMIK no longer operates in the larger part of Kosovo-Metohija’s territory which is now controlled by Albanians.
The Minister said that he asked UNMIK to tell the authorities in Pristina that they have broken international law and said he thinks UNMIK is not doing the same.
Samardzic warned Ruecker that Serbs in Kosovo must have equal living conditions like any other Serbian citizen, noting that it is difficult to establish normal life in this chaotic situation, but added that the state will do everything to carry out its duties.
He said that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 is not being applied, but added that UNMIK and KFOR need to continue to perform their mission and stressed that the local Albanians, by proclaiming the fictitious state of Kosovo, committed the violence
Samardzic arrived in Kosovo-Metohija earlier in the day and before meeting with Ruecker, visited Novi Badovac near Pristina, where 70 houses and 20 flats are being built for internally displaced persons.
After meeting with Ruecker, the Minister spoke with villagers from Ugljare near Kosovo Polje. He also visited Serbs in Priluzje and Kosovska Mitrovica, where he said that there is no legal basis for the deployment of an EU mission in the southern Serbian province, but that Serbian authorities will continue to cooperate with UNMIK.
Samardzic said that today’s talks with Ruecker were constructive, even though there was disagreement concerning certain points.
He stressed that Serbia will continue to implement its authority in the province where it is possible to do so, under the circumstances created by the violation of international law by the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo-Metohija.
The Minister said that today he visited six Serb enclaves in Kosovo-Metohija and talked with representatives of Serbs living there about ways of helping them.
Samardzic also talked to the municipal presidents of Zubin Potok and Zvecan in the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica.
-
Belgrade/Brussels, 4 March 2026Preservation of Serbian institutions in Kosovo and Metohija key to peace, stability in region
-
Belgrade, 1 March 2026Five Serbs from village of Suvo Grlo near Srbica in Kosovo and Metohija detained
-
Belgrade, 25 February 2026Priština endangers survival of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija with escalatory moves
-
Belgrade, 12 February 2026Gratitude to Spain for consistent support on Kosovo and Metohija issue
-
Belgrade, 10 February 2026Belgrade seeks urgent EU response over pressures on Serbian institutions in Kosovo and Metohija
-
Belgrade, 5 February 2026UNMIK’s greater visibility, presence needed on ground
-
Belgrade/Brussels, 22 January 2026Accelerate resolution of issue of missing persons
-
Belgrade, 16 January 2026Concrete steps needed to establish Community of Serb Municipalities
-
Belgrade, 11 December 2025Belgrade firmly committed to peace, stability in region
