Petkovic: Anniversary celebration a provocation by Pristina, no liaison office

BELGRADE - The head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija Petar Petkovic said on Thursday a Belgrade gathering that had marked the anniversary of the so-called Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence had not been an official event and was a "sheer provocation" by Pristina.

In a Twitter post, Petkovic said individuals including Dveri leader Bosko Obradovic had welcomed the incident as a pretext for criticising Serbia and President Aleksandar Vucic.

In a reaction to a statement by Serbian MP Saip Kamberi, who said the anniversary had been marked at an event hosted by Pristina's liaison office in Belgrade, Petkovic said that, under the Brussels Agreement, there was no liaison office, but only a liaison officer whose working premises were in the EU Delegation building.

"This is a sheer provocation by Pristina. Under the agreement, there is no liaison office, but only a liaison officer whose working premises are situated in the building of the EU Delegation. The gathering was organised in the living room of a private flat rented by the Pristina liaison officer, and it cannot be official," Petkovic explained.