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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia will cooperate with UNMIK, not Kosovo institutions

Belgrade, 19 June 2008

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said that the work of the Kosovo Property Agency in Belgrade, Kragujevac and Nis has been suspended because the agency has not dealt with the issue of protecting the rights of Serbian citizens whose properties were confiscated in Kosovo-Metohija.

Bozidar Djelic

Speaking at a press conference held after the government’s session, Djelic explained that a Report was adopted at the session to suspend the work of the agency, and added that the Serbian government plans to continue cooperation with UNMIK, but will not cooperate with any Kosovo institution.

He said that the suspension order will remain valid as along as the status of the agency is not regulated through talks with UNMIK. He added that the government set aside RSD 130 million to continue the programme for supporting internally displaced persons in the Kosovsko Mitrovacki district.

Djelic explained that this is being done to help Serbs who have taken refuge in that part of Kosovo, and they are facing extremely difficult conditions.

Djelic said that the government annulled the decision by the Telecommunications Minister for his Ministry to take over competencies of the Serbian Telecommunication Agency RATEL for a period of 120 days, since this was against the laws on public administration and government.

He explained that the government acted in the capacity of a supervisory body because it was concluded that the Telecommunications Ministry has contravened the law, but this does not mean that RATEL and other agencies performed well. He said that the future government should deal with the issue of regulatory agencies, which have problems that must be removed.

According to Djelic, the government approved today the programme for maintenance, construction and renovation works on main and regional roads for 2008, according to which a sum of RSD 75 billion will be set aside for this purpose.

Djelic specified that RSD 31.6 billion from this sum will be used for transferred obligations.

He said that a Decree was passed at the session today on amendments to the Decree on protection of property of sections of companies which have head offices in former SFRY republics because legal persons in Serbia cannot realise the right to assets in Croatia according to the Succession Agreement with the countries of the former Yugoslavia.

Djelic said that the plan for presiding over the Decade of Roma Inclusion from July 1, 2008 to July 1, 2009 was adopted, and added that Serbia will take over presidency from Hungary next week in Budapest.

He said that the government also approved a financing agreement with the EU for several important youth programmes worth €13 million.

According to Djelic, €7 million in non-repayable aid from these funds will be set aside for the Tempus Programme which is designed to help universities in Serbia to implement programme changes.

Djelic informed that a Report on writing off the debt of Staklara Pancevo was also adopted at today’s session.