“Financing of Serbian institutions in Kosovo to continue”
Serbian government’s Office for Kosovo Director Aleksandar Vulin has said that Serbia will continue to finance its institutions in Kosovo.
(KosovoCompromiseStuff) Saturday, November 10, 2012
"Our position is clear - institutions remain and we will continue to finance them," he told daily news.
When asked whether this applied to the court and security structures, Vulin said:
"There are MUP members who live in Kosovo with their families. They do not have weapons, uniforms or the authority to make arrests."
"What kind of security structure is that? I wish there were any security structures there because it would be much easier to solve the issue of crime. I repeat that the state of Serbia will continue to finance its institutions south and north of the Ibar River," Vulin was quoted as saying.
He said he understood Kosovo Serbs' concern regarding the integrated crossing management.
"We will work together in order to overcome the fears. An administrative line will be set up at the Jarinje crossing on the central Serbian side so we could take care of the feelings of our people from the north of the province. Representatives of the provisional Pristina institutions will be present at the crossing but EULEX will have the executive role," he explained.
The Office for Kosovo director added that Belgrade otherwise never would have accepted the agreement.
When asked whether Serbia would indirectly recognize Kosovo's independence by accepting to implement the integrated crossings management agreement, Vulin said that "it would be an indirect recognition of Kosovo's independence if there were no EULEX at the administrative line".
"If the customs were there, then it would be a violation of the territorial integrity. Serbia does not want Albanian customs officers at the administrative lines but tax organs. I remind you that we first transferred a part of our sovereignty to the EU after the bombing and then to EULEX," Vulin pointed out.
He added that nobody should expect that Serbia would take part in creating the state of Kosovo.
"It is true that many circumstances are not in our favor but that does not stop us from fighting. I believe it is possible to find a sustainable solution for Kosovo that will be positive for us," Vulin concluded.
