Q:
A:
Samardzic on visit to Kosovo-Metohija
Kosovska Mitrovica,
31 March 2008
Serbian Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Slobodan Samardzic with associates talked late yesterday with representatives of the Serbian National Council from northern Kosovo.
Slobodan Samardzic during his visit to Laplje Selo
Author:
Reuters
Samardzic met with Council president Milan Ivanovic, president of the Community of Serbian municipalities and communities of Kosovo-Metohija Marko Jaksic and head of the Mitrovica district Momir Kasalovic.
The Minister for Kosovo-Metohija also visited Priluzje and said during the visit that parliamentary and local elections will be held on May 11 in areas of the southern province with a Serb population.
Talking to residents and representatives of the local self-government in Priluzje, Samardzic explained that in the upcoming days the Serbian government will pass a decree on holding the elections.
During his visit to Laplje Selo he said that Serbia will do everything in its power to make sure that Serbs living in Kosovo-Metohija have the same rights as all other Serbian citizens, and added that Serbia will provide financial assistance to all those who left Kosovo’s interim institutions following the unilateral declaration of independence on February 17.
On behalf of the state we told all those employed in the interim institutions to leave their jobs after February 17, and now it is our duty to give them financial help, which is what the ministry will do, said Samardzic.
Speaking about employment for the youth, he said that Serbia will find a way to provide employment through investments in Kosovo-Metohija, and will also make changes to the existing structure of jobs in order to employ as many people as possible, said the Minister.
In cooperation with the UN and UNMIK Serbia will continue to cooperate so that it functions as a well-organised state in Kosovo, the Minister pointed out.
Speaking about the agreement offered to UNMIK, Samardzic explained that the agreement does not constitute a territorial division, rather a functional separation between Serbs and Albanians that has been ongoing in Kosovo for the past eight-nine years.
Serbs will have to work under their own institutions and that functional division concerns all Serbs living in Kosovo, he noted and stressed that there is no territorial division of Kosovo and there has never been any word of it, nor will there ever be.
The Minister recalled that apart from parliamentary elections, May 11 will be an election day for local authorities in all Serbian parts of Kosovo.
According to him, the Serbian government needs to adopt certain conclusions since elections in Kosovo are technically demanding. As soon as these conclusions are adopted, UNMIK will be informed about the elections in the province, he said.
The Minister for Kosovo-Metohija will also visit Novo Brdo.
The Minister for Kosovo-Metohija also visited Priluzje and said during the visit that parliamentary and local elections will be held on May 11 in areas of the southern province with a Serb population.
Talking to residents and representatives of the local self-government in Priluzje, Samardzic explained that in the upcoming days the Serbian government will pass a decree on holding the elections.
During his visit to Laplje Selo he said that Serbia will do everything in its power to make sure that Serbs living in Kosovo-Metohija have the same rights as all other Serbian citizens, and added that Serbia will provide financial assistance to all those who left Kosovo’s interim institutions following the unilateral declaration of independence on February 17.
On behalf of the state we told all those employed in the interim institutions to leave their jobs after February 17, and now it is our duty to give them financial help, which is what the ministry will do, said Samardzic.
Speaking about employment for the youth, he said that Serbia will find a way to provide employment through investments in Kosovo-Metohija, and will also make changes to the existing structure of jobs in order to employ as many people as possible, said the Minister.
In cooperation with the UN and UNMIK Serbia will continue to cooperate so that it functions as a well-organised state in Kosovo, the Minister pointed out.
Speaking about the agreement offered to UNMIK, Samardzic explained that the agreement does not constitute a territorial division, rather a functional separation between Serbs and Albanians that has been ongoing in Kosovo for the past eight-nine years.
Serbs will have to work under their own institutions and that functional division concerns all Serbs living in Kosovo, he noted and stressed that there is no territorial division of Kosovo and there has never been any word of it, nor will there ever be.
The Minister recalled that apart from parliamentary elections, May 11 will be an election day for local authorities in all Serbian parts of Kosovo.
According to him, the Serbian government needs to adopt certain conclusions since elections in Kosovo are technically demanding. As soon as these conclusions are adopted, UNMIK will be informed about the elections in the province, he said.
The Minister for Kosovo-Metohija will also visit Novo Brdo.
-
Belgrade/Brussels, 12 May 2026Belgrade seeking concrete steps towards establishment of Community of Serb Municipalities
-
Belgrade/Brussels, 11 May 2026Belgrade-Priština dialogue not dialogue on mutual recognition
-
Belgrade, 10 April 2026Serbian health centres closed in villages of Suvo Grlo, Banje
-
Belgrade/New York, 9 April 2026Serbia remains committed to dialogue, peace, respect for international law
-
Belgrade, 9 April 2026EU urged to more actively monitor processes related to so-called Priština laws
-
Belgrade, 17 March 2026March pogrom was planned violence, ethnic cleansing
-
Belgrade, 14 March 2026Closure of Serbian institutions in Kosovo and Metohija halted
-
Belgrade/Brussels, 4 March 2026Preservation of Serbian institutions in Kosovo and Metohija key to peace, stability in region
