Traffic for buses and vans owned by Serbs resumes over administrative crossing
Traffic at the administrative line crossing with Kosovo, Merdare, for buses and vans owned by Serbs was resumed on Sunday evening after the Kosovo Albanian Transport and Telecommunications Ministry in Pristina blocked the traffic that morning.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Monday, May 10, 2010
Merdare is located between Kosovo and central Serbia.
Serbian State Secretary at the Ministry for Kosovo Oliver Ivanovic told Tanjug that the traffic for bus and van transporters between Pristina and central Serbia across Merdare, which is the only road, was resumed after the intervention of the ministry.
However, he believes this will not last long and that the ban will be reintroduced as this is yet another form of pressure on the Serbs after the destruction of the transmitters of the Serbian mobile operators in the province.
He assessed that EULEX, which is in charge of the protection of human rights of Serbs and non-Albanians in Kosovo, failed to react in this case.
Owners of several private companies for passenger transportation from central Kosovo told Tanjug that Kosovo authorities at Merdare border crossing request to see their work permits for 2010, registrations and certificates for the vehicles and obligatory contracts signed with companies from Serbia registration as final destinations.
Van operator from Caglavica Dusan Todic says that Serbs were deprived of freedom of movement after the phone networks were disabled in their areas, and that this was another form of pressure on the Serbian population and a message that they do not belong in Kosovo.
Todic explained that the van operators were requested to switch to bus transportation in order to stay in business, but that this was impossible.
"They're asking us to register firms and pay taxes. However, we're unable to register because we don't have the obligatory three buses," he pointed out.
Todic also added that they had so far been performing their work with the licenses issued by UNMIK and that he was told that he needed "licenses with a stamp of the republic of Kosovo" to keep working.
According to the rules of ministry in charge for the licenses in Pristina, departures from the Serb enclave of Gracanica will also be banned.
All vehicles will have to depart from the bus station in Pristina.
Kosovo Minister Goran Bogdanovic has condemned the cutting off the bus and van transportation between the Serbian enclaves and central Serbia over the Merdare administrative crossing.
The Kosovo minister demanded from EULEX and UNMIK to urgently provide freedom of movement for Serbs in the province and enable undisturbed communication and transportation between the Serb enclaves and central Serbia.
