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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

EULEX must be status-neutral

Belgrade, 8 December 2008

Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Goran Bogdanovic said in an interview for yesterday’s edition of the Vecernje Novosti daily that the EULEX mission must be status-neutral until new dialogue on Kosovo’s status is opened.

Bogdanovic stressed that the Kosovo status issue will remain unresolved until a compromise solution is reached, adding that rule of law must be established in the province and normal living conditions created for the Serbian and non-ethnic Albanian population.

He voiced his expectation that EULEX’s key role will be to implement the six-item plan, proposed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as a solution for solving the situation on the ground.

If the EU mission really wants to fulfil its obligations it will have to play a key role in solving the issues of the judiciary and the police, said the Minister, adding that he expects EULEX to protect citizen’s property and lives, their cultural and religious heritage, as well as ensuring safe transport and the proper functioning of the provincial customs system.

The Minister stressed that EULEX should begin processing the numerous cases which have not been solved in the past nine years, adding that they mainly concern crimes committed against Serbs.

Bogdanovic said that from December 9 EULEX members will most likely be positioned as previously agreed and will replace UNMIK in the northern part of the province.

However, he noted that their activities in areas with a Serbian majority will probably begin much later, when the new mission earns the trust of the Serbian population.