Samardzic addresses Kosovska Mitrovica crowds
17 March 2008 | 15:17 -> 16:12 | Source: Beta
KOSOVSKA MITROVICA — Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardzic has denounced the conduct of UNMIK in Kosovska Mitrovica today.
Samardzic said that the country would protect the Kosovo Serbs, as well as all other Serbian citizens.
In Sumadija Square in Kosovska Mitrovica, the minister told a crowd that he had wanted to address them on the anniversary of the 2004 March attacks on Serbs, and that he had not expected today’s clashes in the town.
“This (clash) could have been avoided, but someone needed it to happen. These last few days, since the justice workers entered the building, we’ve been in constant contact with people from UNMIK and agreed that nothing be done on Monday, when I was due to come to Kosovska Mitrovica,” he told a 1,000-strong crowd.
Samardzic added that he had spoken last night with Deputy UNMIK Chief Larry Rossin, and that he had come with the message that Serbia and UNMIK had to agree on how UN Resolution 1244 would be implemented after the violent, unlawful unilateral declaration of Kosovo independence.“
“I gave him (Rossin) the text of an agreement and repeated that the Serbs did not want violence, that they wanted an agreement, and that I would come to the town the next day to solve the problem. Someone was impatient and did this this morning, we don’t who is to blame, but I give you my word that there will be an international investigation, and that we’ll take this matter right through to the end,“ said the minister.
He said that the Serb justice workers had been attacked in the courthouse and expelled by force, before being taken to prison.
“We’ll offer resistance as people, as a state, as Christians, we have to reach an agreement and protest peacefully. I have been promised that the people in court will be returned, and we won’t move from in front of the court until they are brought back,” promised Samardzic.
The minister called on the Serbs to remain calm, to be organized and disciplined, and to protest peacefully.
In response to derogatory cat-calling directed at President Boris Tadic, he said that politicians were not important, but rather people.
“There were many victims today, let’s not let that happen again,” said Samardzic, adding that he insisted on peaceful protests.
Alongside the minister in the square was Montenegrin opposition leader Andrija Mandic; and actress Ivana Žigon.
At the end of the rally, in pouring rain, the crowd returned to the courthouse, which continues to be guarded by a strong KFOR contingent. KFOR helicopters continue to monitor developments on the ground.
Prior to addressing the rally, he met with local Serb leadership in Kosovska Mitrovica, after arriving the enclave of Gracanica, where he attended church dedicated to the pogrom of the Serbs on this day in 2004.
This morning, Samardzic called on UNMIK to immediately release all Serbs arrested in Kosovska Mitrovica.
Samardzic said that today’s police operation in the courthouse in Kosovska Mitrovica and the arrest of judges was inexcusable and overstepped the boundaries of civilized behavior when dealing with such a crisis.
“It’s all the more unacceptable given that I spoke with deputy special representative Larry Rossin last night in Gracanica,” he added.
“I then offered an agreement to settle all open matters between UNMIK and Serbia concerning the Serbs in Kosovo, and apart from that, we reached an agreement in principle that nothing would be done until I went to Kosovska Mitrovica,” said Samardzic, who is currently in Gracanica.
The minister was intending to travel to Mitrovica today to speak with the workers in the courthouse.
“In spite of this, they (UNMIK and KFOR) carried out this violent operation and provoked the populace, causing clashes in the streets which are now gradually calming down, but, to my knowledge, they have taken 33 or 34 judges and personnel to Priština” he reported.
Samardzic insisted on the immediate release of all those arrested.
“If we are to maintain order, stability, and if we are to have any sort of cooperation, our absolutely final demand will be for those people to be released immediately, and for those problems to be resolved the way we talked about yesterday, through agreement and negotiation,” the minister warned.
He said that, for some reason, UNMIK had resorted to violent means, and that this was no way to settle matters.
“All the more so given that our verbal agreement to settle the matter peacefully and negotiate over everything has been broken,” stressed Samardzic.