Northern Serbs to decide on removing barricades

Their decision should serve to calm the situation in the north after 12 days of crisis, started with an attempt of the Kosovo Albanian authorities to take over the checkpoints of Jarinje and Brnjak on the administrative line between Kosovo and central Serbia.

Councilors of the four Serb municipalities - Kosovska Mitrovica, Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok - will meet at noon in the town of Leposavic and decide on whether to remove the barricades on the Kosovska Mitrovica-Leposavic and Kosovska Mitrovica-Ribaric roads.

The temporary agreement reached last week would see KFOR control the administrative crossings of Brnjak and Jarinje, while Serbs in the north would remove the road blocks, set up after Pristina's attempt to take over the outposts.

And while the barricades are expected to be removed, the local Serbs are saying that they will remain prepared to react until there is a lasting solution in negotiations with the international community.

Invitation to Serbs at barricades to stand by the state of Serbia  

Representatives of the Serbs from the north of Kosovo had informed yesterday the citizens who have been at barricades in Rudare near Zvecan for 14 days already, that Serbia firmly stands by them and urged them to support the state leadership because it is, as stated, in mutual interest.

"Serbia has stood firmly with us and will support what we feel is justified, and it is our duty to be with our country and support it even though we are not completely satisfied with all the solutions, because it is mutually beneficial", says President of the Kosovska Mitrovica municipality Krstimir Pantic.

With the head of the Kosovska Mitrovica District, Radenko Nedeljkovic, and Zvecan mayor Dobrosav Dobric, he informed Serbs at barricades in Rudare the significant points from meeting with Serbian President Boris Tadic in Belgrade.