BELGRADE, October 30. /TASS/. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has called for unity of the Serbian people on the Kosovo problem.
"The Albanians are totally consolidated, all their parties are consolidated. I don’t mean that all parties in Serbia must consolidate but national unity is needed. We need people’s strength now more than ever before and we will spare no effort to defend the interests of the Serbian people," he said on Tuesday at a cabinet meeting that was attended by representatives from Kosovo and Metohija.
He said that he had information that Kosovans were plotting seizure of a part of the Serbian electricity grid in the south of the country. "They [Kosovans] claim that our electricity grid is hampering free movement of electricity thus forcing them to steal electricity. After that, they plan to accuse us of being unable to control the grid, oust our company and substitute it for Albania’s KOSTT," Vucic said.
Apart from that, the Serbian leader noted that in late November Albania will celebrate its Flag Day and plans to time the establishment of a Kosovo army to that holiday, despite the fact that it runs counter to United Nations Resolution 1244. Moreover, Interpol is expected to discuss Kosovo’s application for joining that organization.
But despite all that, Belgrade will continue to invest in Serbian-populated areas in Kosovo, Vucic pledged. In his words, it is planned to spend 50 million euro on the construction of a clinical center in Kosovska Mitrovica and a hospital in Gracanica. It is also planned to invest in the agrarian and tourism sectors, in infrastructure, water supplies systems and education, the Serbian president said.
Serbia’s Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija unilaterally proclaimed independence in February 2008, which was recognized by the United Nations Court of Justice in 2010. By now, according to Belgrade, Kosovo has been recognized by 105 world nations, while Pristina says there are 117 such countries. More than 60 countries, including Russia, China, India, Israel, Greece and Spain, are categorically against recognizing Kosovo’s independence.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 has it that Kosovo and Metohija are part of Serbia. The document provided for the establishment of international civil presence in Kosovo - the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) - to establish an interim administration for Kosovo that was granted a broad autonomy. The UNMIK enjoyed legislative and executive authority and regulated Kosovo’s judicial system. After Kosovo proclaimed its independence on February 17, 2008, the mission focused on security and human rights issues.
In the recent months, Belgrade and Pristina have been negotiating a compromise solution based on adjustments of the border and exchanges of territories. The United States supports this idea and insists on a final agreement committing to paper adjustments of the border between Serbia and the unrecognized republic. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke against any border changes in the Balkans and noted that all the countries of that region have chances to be admitted to the European Union.