Jovanovic slams Pristina for banning Tanjug reporter from entering Kosovo-Metohija

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Information and Telecommunications Mihailo Jovanovic on Thursday condemned in the strongest terms a decision by Pristina to deny entry to Kosovo-Metohija to a Tanjug reporter who was to report on Patriarch Porfirije's Christmas visit to Serbian holy sites in Kosovo-Metohija.

In a statement, Jovanovic said he expected Pristina's move - which he noted reflected its attitude to Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija, fundamental human rights and civic freedoms - to at least elicit a reaction from the international community.

Any ban, restriction on freedom of movement or threat to journalistic work is unacceptable, Jovanovic said, noting that all journalists should be allowed to do their job without obstructions.

"No one has the right to jeopardise the work of media professionals and freedom of expression is a fundamental value of every democratic society," he said.

"I hope that, this time, a unilateral decision by the interim institutions in Pristina like this one will not go without, at least, a reaction from the international community. Unfortunately, this move only goes to show Pristina's attitude to Serbs and other non-Albanians living in Serbia's southern province. They are second-class citizens without fundamental human rights and civic freedoms," Jovanovic said.

Without any explanation, the so-called Kosovo Police denied entry to Kosovo-Metohija to Tanjug reporter Andjelko Utjesanovic at the Merdare administrative crossing on Wednesday afternoon.

Utjesanovic was a part of a Serbian Orthodox Church delegation accompanying the patriarch.