Belgrade – Banning my visit to Kosovo and Metohija is another in a series of political provocations and unilateral moves by the so-called Kosovo institutions.

Priština’s behavior is unacceptable and in its well-known manner of causing constant tensions, confrontations and provocations. It’s high time that EULEX takes steps, prevents unreasonable behavior of Priština and informs her that she is the cause and source of all tensions. My visits to Kosmet have always been directed towards peaceful problem solving, a call for dialogue, compromise and reconciliation between the Albanian and Serbian people. I wonder who is bothered by my planed visit to Prilužje, where I was supposed to open a kindergarten.  Construction in Serbian communities and better living conditions for life, remaining and survival of Serbs obviously do not suit Priština.  Why hasn’t Hashim Thaci used his position as Kosovo Prime minister and his influence which he evidently has among the Kosovo Albanians, to finally uncover the murderers of children from Goraždevac, harvesters from Staro Gracko or to facilitate the return of expelled Serbs to Djakovica, the region of Peć and other places, which is prevented by the local Albanian community? I will remind you that in the last few months Priština did everything to impede the lives of Kosovo Serbs by a number of unilateral moves. EULEX needs to ask itself what kind of a message are the provisional institutions of Kosovo sending to Kosovo Serbs by banning my visit, while at the same time they are clearly saying how many more provocations should there be for the international community to react. The Government of Serbia and the Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija are strongly devoted and committed to a dialogue and a peaceful resolution of the Kosmet problem, but EULEX and the international community must do the work they have taken upon themselves to persuade Priština to stop with provocations and generating tensions. This move of the provisional institutions of Kosovo is nothing more than an attempt to demonstrate quasi-statehood, and that is why the EULEX mission must react in accordance with its status-neutral mandate. My family and I live in Kosmet; I go there and will continue to do so, if any incident occurs it will be the responsibility of EULEX, which must secure visits to the province by Serbian politicians.