Vucic: 2004 pogrom had only one goal - independence of so-called Kosovo

BELGRADE - The March 17-18, 2004 pogrom against Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija had only one goal - independence of the so-called Kosovo, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday evening.

"It was an organised, prepared and pre-conceived action, and not some kind of fury or anger of people who had seen injustice happen to boys from Cabar near Zubin Potok. No - it was all well-prepared, well-organised and well-coordinated so that, right after that, they (Kosovo Albanians) could get the Ahtisaari plan, the Vienna negotiations and full independence of 'Kosovo,'" Vucic said at a ceremony at the National Theatre in Belgrade that commemorated the 20th anniversary of the pogrom.

Sixteen Serbs were killed and hundreds of others were injured in the pogrom.

Over the course of the two days, around 4,000 Serbs were expelled from Kosovo-Metohija and more than 1,000 houses, Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries were destroyed.