Pantic: Govt honest with Kosovo Serbs
Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor Krstimir Pantic said Sunday that the Serbian government was being honest with Kosovo Serbs and that in the talks in Brussels, Prime Minister Ivica Dacic advocated the stance of Serbs in northern Kosovo who do not want to pay customs to Pristina.
(KosovoCompromiseStuff) Sunday, December 16, 2012
Appearing on Prva television, Pantic said the previous government was dishonest not only with Kosovo Serbs, but also the international community.
"The former government forced us to put up roadblocks in northern Kosovo and three months later they tried to get us to remove them after pressures from Brussels. This government does not work like that, it is honest with us, it tells us what was agreed in Brussels and what can be done, but we have never been pressured to agree to anything or do something that is against our interests," said Pantic.
He said the Serbs in northern Kosovo told the Serbian prime minister that they did not want to pay customs to Pristina institutions because they would be recognizing Kosovo as an independent state.
Pantic said that in Brussels Dacic represented the Kosovo Serbs' position and it was agreed that customs duties would not be charged on goods headed to northern Kosovo.
According to Pantic, Serbs in the north agreed to start the implementation of the agreement on integrated crossings management when they got guarantees from the government, the first time they had received such guarantees.
Pantic recalled that the government conclusion adopted on December 6 states that goods intended for sale in northern Kosovo would not be subject to customs or other charges, and that Serbs would be able to use documents issued by Serbia.
"The former government forced us to put up roadblocks in northern Kosovo and three months later they tried to get us to remove them after pressures from Brussels. This government does not work like that, it is honest with us, it tells us what was agreed in Brussels and what can be done, but we have never been pressured to agree to anything or do something that is against our interests," said Pantic.
He said the Serbs in northern Kosovo told the Serbian prime minister that they did not want to pay customs to Pristina institutions because they would be recognizing Kosovo as an independent state.
Pantic said that in Brussels Dacic represented the Kosovo Serbs' position and it was agreed that customs duties would not be charged on goods headed to northern Kosovo.
According to Pantic, Serbs in the north agreed to start the implementation of the agreement on integrated crossings management when they got guarantees from the government, the first time they had received such guarantees.
Pantic recalled that the government conclusion adopted on December 6 states that goods intended for sale in northern Kosovo would not be subject to customs or other charges, and that Serbs would be able to use documents issued by Serbia.
