Petkovic informs EU representatives of situation in Kosovo-Metohija

BRUSSELS - The director of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija Petar Petkovic, who is also Belgrade's chief negotiator in the dialogue with Pristina, held a working meeting for ambassadors of EU member states and European Commission and European External Action Service representatives in Brussels on Monday.

Petkovic informed them in detail of the current political and security situation in Kosovo-Metohija, with particular emphasis on the course of dialogue and the most recent tragic events in Banjska.

"During a two-and-a-half-hour presentation and an open discussion, Petkovic conveyed to the diplomats in attendance that Belgrade and President Aleksandar Vucic were doing everything in their power to preserve peace and stability and that Serbia had in no way wanted to be nor had been involved in the recent tragic events in Banjska," the Office for Kosovo-Metohija said in a statement.

Petkovic called for an objective and unbiased investigation of the events since Pristina was trying to label Serbia as the culprit through disinformation and untruths.

During the presentation, which featured numerous documents, photos and video footage, Belgrade presented evidence showing clearly that Pristina is the root of all problems, the statement said.

In a well-argumented manner, the Serbian delegation reminded the diplomats of the numerous incidents and attacks by Pristina that had exclusively targeted Serbs, noting that Albin Kurti was the sole culprit for the unbearable situation that had resulted in the September 24 events and that his policy of terror and institutional violence against Serbs in the north of Kosovo-Metohija had led to tragic events.

Petkovic said that, over the past year, Belgrade had been warning the entire international public intensively that the situation on the ground would escalate further unless the West put Kurti under strong pressure.

For that reason, Petkovic reiterated a call to Kfor to fully take over the role of protecting Serbs in the north of Kosovo-Metohija and to replace the so-called Kosovo Police, which the Serbs see exclusively as an occupation force.

"The only way forward leads through immediate de-escalation and a withdrawal of the 'Kosovo Police' from the north, as well as through a continuation of dialogue and concrete steps towards forming a Community of Serb Municipalities," Petkovic said.

He noted that Pristina was refusing to form the Community for a full ten years now and carrying out an ethnic cleansing of Serbs instead of ensuring the collective and individual rights guaranteed to them by the First Brussels Agreement.