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Russia supports Serbia’s protection of national sovereignty and integrity — senator

"We call on all legislators in the Balkans and in Europe, on everyone else realizing what is really happening in Kosovo and Metohija, to stand up for the justice and truce, to protect them from oppression and aggression," Valentina Matviyenko noted

MOSCOW, June 23. /TASS/. Russia supports the Serbian leadership’s efforts to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, as well as its commitment to the international legal norms regarding the Kosovo settlement, Chairwoman of the Federation Council (the upper house of Russia’s parliament) Valentina Matviyenko said on Friday.

"We stand solid in our support of the Serbian authorities in defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and its strong commitment to the international legal norms regarding the Kosovo issue settlement," Matviyenko said.

"We are offering our should to colleagues from the National Assembly of Serbia in such difficult times and are ready to provide assistance," the Russian senator said.

"We call on all legislators in the Balkans and in Europe, on everyone else realizing what is really happening in Kosovo and Metohija, to stand up for the justice and truce, to protect them from oppression and aggression," Matviyenko noted.

"Only a reasonable and responsible approach on behalf of the official Belgrade and President Aleksandar Vucic personally, would make it possible to uphold the fragile peace, despite the brutal pressure and threats from the outside, as well as attempts to stir up a protest movement within Serbia in order to destabilize the country using fake slogans, create an atmosphere of uncertainty, ruin social unity and drive the country into chaos," the Russian senator added.

"The West keeps strictly following its infamous blueprints of geopolitical engineering, which leads to the loss of the sovereignty of countries and their subsequent destruction," Matviyenko added.

Situation in Kosovo

The situation in the Leposavic, Zubin Potok, and Zvecan municipalities in northern Kosovo and Metohija escalated on May 26 after Kosovo law enforcement officers tried to seize local administrative buildings in a bid to enable the new mayors of these municipalities, who were elected despite nearly the entire Serbian population boycotting the elections, to take office.

On May 29, KFOR cordoned off the administrative buildings, clashing with Serbian protesters.