Stankovic against comparisons with north Kosovo

"In that sense, the ethnic Albanians are equal citizens of this country - the comparisons must stop at one point, because, obviously, whenever the northern Kosovo issue is raised, there are new demands from the ehtnic Albanian leaders in southern Serbia," Stankovic said in comment to a meeting between the ethnic Albanian municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja. An assembly of officials from those municipalities was formed in Presevo on Saturday, and they asked the Serbian government to take urgent steps in order to solve the problems of the ethnic Albanians in southern Serbia. A document entitled Urgent Steps to Solve the Problems of the Presevo Valley Albanians demands solutions to the issues of security, economy, language, judiciary decentralization, education, social security and healthcare. According to B92, some ethnic Albanian leaders said the act was similar to what the Serb community in northern Kosovo had done and that they now expected a reaction from the international community. "The Serbian government is committed to dealing with this part of Serbia in a way that would improve the living conditions through institutions and in accrodance with the law and Constitution while keeping international conventions in mind," Stankovic stressed. The Albanian comunity in Serbia has all the rights that any other national minority has in the country, Stankovic pointed out. According to Stankovic, the formation of the assembly of ethnic Albanian officials from Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja was not a topic of discussion during the most recent meeting with ethnic Albanian political leaders and it never will be. "If it was created from the need of ethnic Albanian leaders to support Serbia's efforts to solve the life-related issues of the local people and integrate this part of the country as soon as possible, then this is a good basis," he said. If the assembly was created solely as a political need, then it is more complex in character, he added, according to a release from the coordinating body. The southern part of central Serbia is an integral part of the country and that is not open for discussion, the release says.